Dame's voice rang through the battlefield, a mix of rage and exhilaration in his tone.
"No good, no good!"
His boosters ignited, and the air cracked apart as he launched forward at Mach 30, his speed reaching absurd levels. The sheer force of his movement caused the surrounding atmosphere to distort, a trail of burning air marking his trajectory.
Few could match such insane velocity—only Sealsdramon and Goku could possibly keep up.
Asura, under normal circumstances, would have been utterly outclassed. His own speed barely scraped Mach 1, a mere fraction of Dame's blinding movements.
Without Naruto's chakra boost, he would have been obliterated instantly.
But with Naruto's power coursing through him, he could see it—the blur of movement, the shift of energy, the deadly arc of Tuwarmon's sickles slicing toward him.
In a split second, he ducked, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp edge aimed for his throat.
Counterattack.
He spun and lashed out with a kick, aiming for Dame's midsection.
Blocked.
Dame's other arm shot up, catching the strike effortlessly. His grip was solid, his movements fluid.
In an instant, his palm opened, releasing a concealed weapon.
A net shot forward, snapping around Asura in a flash of blue lightning.
Electric net.
Asura twitched, feeling the shocking force ripple through his body, his waxy form crackling under the intense voltage.
Flame Whip!
A blazing glow erupted from within him. His real body, shifting into a fiery tendril, sliced through the net with ease before the damage could fully settle in. The severed strands burned away, releasing him.
But Dame was already moving.
He zipped behind Asura, too fast for any reaction, and from his storage produced a cloth, hurling it with pinpoint accuracy.
The material wrapped around Asura, binding his limbs before he could even process the attack.
"Tch—!"
It was too fast, and the cloth's durability was extreme. He struggled, but before he could burn through, Dame had already closed the distance.
The next second—
BOOM!
A flaming fist collided with Asura's chest, the sheer momentum sending him rocketing backward.
His body smashed through tree after tree, the impact force leaving fist-shaped dents in his wax-like form. Cracks spiderwebbed across his body, though the flames inside him flickered steadily, preventing permanent damage.
He was fire, after all.
But that didn't mean he was unscathed.
His opponent had far more battle experience, and it was showing.
As he crashed into the ground, he wasted no time—
Roll.
Just as Dame's foot slammed down, the impact creating a deep crater, Asura rolled away, avoiding what would have been a crushing blow.
Still moving, he grabbed his fallen shield and, without hesitation, hurled it.
Dame didn't block—he dodged.
That was expected.
Which was why Asura had already thrown kunai right after.
A second attack—this time at close range.
Dame barely twisted away, the kunai grazing past him.
Asura's mind raced.
This was, by far, one of his hardest fights.
His opponent wasn't just fast and strong—he had years of experience at this power level. Meanwhile, Asura had only recently reached this point.
Their gap in battle instincts was massive.
To make things worse, some of his usual tactics were useless.
Poison attacks? Ineffective. Dame's body was mechanical in nature.
Targeting Tyu? Impossible. The small Digimon was safely hidden inside his chamber, well-protected from the chaos.
But—
It was the same for Dame.
His strongest ability—his sense of smell—was useless against Asura, who didn't have a biological scent.
It was a battle of raw skill.
Naruto watched from the side, his instincts screaming at him to jump in.
He could end this.
If he and Asura double-teamed Dame, the fight would be over in minutes.
But he didn't.
He wanted Asura to win this on his own.
And Asura, for his part, never once expected Naruto's help.
Solo combat was his way.
But Naruto wasn't just watching.
He acted.
In a swift motion, he slashed another card through his Digivice.
Flame Armor!
A new layer of fire ignited around Asura's form, coating him in a protective shell of living flames. His movements felt sharper, his attacks heavier, and the damage from the last hit faded away slightly.
Naruto felt the strain—the chakra drain from enhancing Asura constantly was taking its toll.
But he could handle it.
For as long as Asura needed it, he would push him forward.
Asura didn't even spare Naruto a glance.
This was his fight.
And he was going to win it.
Unless Naruto ordered him to fight as a team, he would fight alone.
Even if it meant pushing himself past his limit.
Even if it meant figuring out how to overcome this impossible speed gap.
Even if it meant facing defeat, only to stand up again.
And he wouldn't lose.
Dame's metallic glare locked onto Asura, his eyes burning with hatred and frustration.
With a fluid motion, he ripped the sickles from his body, the jagged edges dripping with residual energy. The blades clanked together, the sound sharp and metallic, as they shifted and combined, forming a long lightning spear.
Holding the weapon steady, Dame raised his other arm—
Gunfire erupted.
A hailstorm of energy bullets fired from the mounted cannon on his forearm, each shot crackling with deadly force.
But Asura was already moving.
The boosters on his back roared, the flames propelling him forward. The bullets whizzed past, missing by mere inches as he weaved through the barrage, closing the distance in seconds.
Dame barely had time to react.
The lightning spear was thrust forward, positioned as a barrier between them.
Asura's flaming palm clashed against it.
BOOM!
A violent shockwave exploded from the impact.
Fire erupted from Asura's hand, while lightning surged from Dame's spear. The opposing elements canceled each other out, sending both Digimon flying backward.
Neither hesitated.
Dame lunged with the spear, thrusting it like a lance.
Asura, reacting fast, redirected the spear's trajectory, deflecting it away from his body before lashing out—
Aiming for Dame's face.
But Dame was fast.
His boosters reversed direction, sending him zipping away before the attack could connect.
Just as he repositioned—
Snap!
Asura's tail lashed out, catching Dame by the leg, causing him to stumble mid-air.
A fatal mistake.
Though Dame corrected himself quickly, his stance was off as he swung his spear again.
Electricity crackled violently, trailing behind the strike.
But Asura was already prepared.
"Fire Bomb!"
A massive fireball erupted from Asura's palm, smashing directly into the incoming spear.
BOOM!
The explosion rattled the battlefield, sending searing heat through the air. Dame staggered, his body scorched from the blast.
That was all the opportunity Asura needed.
He moved.
Dame barely had time to react before Asura's fist slammed into him.
Instinctively, he blocked with his arm—
But Asura had already planned for that.
His wax body shifted—liquid tendrils surged out from the impact point, forming drills that burrowed into Dame's face.
"AAAAAGH!"
The normally stoic Digimon screamed in pain as holes were torn into his armored visage.
Before he could recover, Asura followed up—
A gut punch.
The wax drills extended, stabbing into Dame's torso—
At the same time, his real body shifted into a flame whip, wrapping around Dame's head, burning into him relentlessly.
Dame howled.
Even with his high pain tolerance, the damage was immense.
Tyu, from within Dame's protective chamber, panicked, his tiny body trembling as he realized the tide of battle had shifted.
But Dame wasn't finished yet.
With one last command, his boosters flared to maximum output—
BZZZT!
A burst of electricity erupted, disrupting Asura's control and sending him flying backward.
Dame gritted his teeth, his wounded face twitching as he clutched his spear.
"ODIN'S RAGE!"
With all his strength, he hurled the lightning spear forward.
The weapon became a streaking bolt of energy, tearing through the air like a divine judgment.
Asura moved to dodge—
But it was too fast.
The spear pierced through his left half, the force carrying him back before slamming him into a tree.
CRACK!
Lightning surged through his body, disrupting his form.
For the first time, Asura felt real damage—his true body inside the wax construct trembled as the electric current assaulted him.
Dame's eyes flashed.
Now was the time to end it.
"FLYING KICK!"
He launched forward, his metallic foot crashing into Asura's chest.
CRUNCH!
The force obliterated Asura's wax body, sending the shattered remains scattering through the air.
Dame didn't stop.
He carried the remaining half of Asura forward, not slowing until he finally came to a halt.
His body heaved, his wounds aching.
Finally—it was over.
The enemy was defeated.
He had won.
It was time to feed.
But Asura Wasn't Done.
As Dame lowered his guard, preparing to consume his fallen opponent, something shifted.
A wrongness.
Then—
STAB!
Dame's eyes widened.
Asura was still alive.
The attack had freed him from the lightning's effects.
And Dame had forgotten a crucial detail—
Asura was a Candlemon.
His physical body wasn't real. He felt no pain from being shattered like that.
The wax body surged, its fragments reforming instantly, stabbing into Dame like razor-sharp blades.
And this time—
There was metal mixed within it.
Naruto had taught Asura metal manipulation.
And now—he was using it to devastating effect.
Dame's entire body was impaled by rapidly spinning drills of wax and metal, boring into his form.
Then—
"DRAGON FIRE!"
A wave of extreme flames erupted from Asura's core, setting Dame ablaze from the inside out.
"AAAAAAAAARGH!!"
Dame thrashed wildly, but it was like a parasite clinging to its host.
The image was gruesome, horrifying, like Venom latching onto a body, refusing to let go.
Tyu—the mastermind behind Dame's actions—panicked.
He tried to eject, his small body leaping from Dame's chamber—
Only to be snatched in midair.
By Naruto.
Tyu's eyes went wide with horror as Naruto raised a hand.
SWIPE!
Tyu was cleaved apart, shock still frozen in his gaze as his body was severed instantly.
And then—
Dame fell silent.
Asura, exhausted beyond measure, finally finished the fight.
His wax body retracted, releasing the burned husk of what was once Dame.
The battle was over.
With the last of his strength, Asura collapsed, breathing heavily.
He couldn't fight anymore.
But he had won.
Naruto stood tall, his presence commanding as he helped Asura absorb the lingering energy from their fallen foes. However, he was cautious in how much power he allowed Asura to take in. A Champion-level Digimon like Dame was a significant source of energy, enough to trigger evolution, but Naruto had no intention of letting Asura evolve just yet.
The primary reason was simple—Asura lacked sufficient fire data. Evolution without the right foundation would lead to an unstable transformation, and Naruto had greater plans for his partner. He had been steadily feeding Asura high-quality fire data to ensure a proper evolution, but the process needed patience. His goal was for Asura to hunt down fire-affiliated Digimon, particularly dragons, before taking that next step. It was all about precision and control.
With Dame and Tyu eliminated, Naruto shifted his attention back to the battlefield. His golden eyes scanned his surroundings, pinpointing his next target. In a swift, decisive motion, he pulled back his spear, fire chakra swirling around it like a raging storm. With a flick of his wrist, he let it fly. The weapon cut through the air, a flaming comet that found its mark in a hidden Woodmon, embedding itself halfway into the creature's body.
Flames erupted from the point of impact, engulfing the Digimon completely. The monstrous tree screamed as it burned, but Naruto didn't need to finish the job himself. Goku and Takato seized the opportunity, swiftly eliminating the weakened enemy.
Naruto remained still, his senses sharp. He could feel another presence—one hidden from sight, scent, and even energy detection. But the wind whispered its location to him. It was impossible to hide from nature itself, and Naruto had long since become its master.
Without hesitation, golden chains shot forth from his body, moving with deadly precision. The chains wrapped tightly around the concealed foe, forcing it into submission before sharp, bladed edges pointed threateningly at its head. The struggling Digimon was none other than Commandramon.
Naruto studied the Digimon carefully, his expression calm and calculating. Commandramon was a soldier, a creation of war, and right now, he was an enemy. However, Naruto saw potential in him.
"This is a battle between two forces," Naruto mused aloud, his voice smooth and composed. "There's no good or evil here—only strength and survival. But let's be honest, you were the aggressors. Humans are just trying to defend themselves."
Commandramon remained silent, though his eyes burned with an analytical gleam. He was trained to obey orders without question, to resist the enemy at all costs.
Naruto chuckled softly. "I can see it in your eyes. You think I'm your enemy. But tell me—what do you think about me?"
Commandramon remained quiet.
"I see," Naruto said, smiling. "You think I'm powerful. Smart of you." His voice was like silk, wrapping around the Digimon's mind like a spell. "I've been watching you for a while. And I have a proposal. Become my partner, and I'll take you further than Darkdramon ever could."
A flicker of interest flashed through Commandramon's gaze.
Naruto pressed on. "Let's be real—your current path? It leads nowhere. If you're lucky, you might reach the next stage, but even then, resources are scarce. And even if you evolve, where do you go from there? Another pawn in someone else's war?"
Naruto's voice dropped, smooth yet commanding. "But with me, you'll grow. You'll become stronger than anyone else. Look at my partner." He gestured toward Asura, who stood nearby, his wax body flickering with residual heat. "He's a Candlemon. A Rookie. And yet, he just took down a Champion. Do you understand what that means?"
Commandramon flinched slightly, recalling the battle he had just witnessed. It was impossible. A Rookie should never be able to defeat a Champion, and yet, Asura had done it.
"I can make you strong," Naruto whispered, his words like a devil's temptation. "You have potential. Don't waste it."
Commandramon hesitated. He was a soldier, trained to fight and obey. Loyalty was ingrained in him. But he was also a dragon, and dragons did not tolerate weakness. The truth was undeniable—Naruto was offering something greater than his current path.
More than that, he saw the truth of his situation. If he refused, he would die. The golden chains pressing against his throat were proof of that.
"I submit," Commandramon muttered, his voice low but firm. His eyes darted around, still wary of an ambush.
Naruto grinned. "Good choice."
Just then, a gunshot rang out.
Naruto moved before Commandramon could react, his body a blur. He blocked the bullet with his bare hand, his chakra dissipating the attack as if it were nothing more than an inconvenience.
"Sorry," Naruto said, his tone playful yet sharp. "But he's mine now."
With a flick of his wrist, Commandramon disappeared into his Digivice, the contract sealed.
Sealsdramon, who had fired the shot, clenched his fists. His crimson visor gleamed with frustration, but he did not move. The battlefield had rules, and he knew better than to break them. If he attacked now, he would be punished.
Instead, he turned and gave a sharp order.
"Retreat."
The enemy forces began pulling back, realizing the futility of their assault.
Naruto simply stood there, watching them go with an amused expression.
A smirk curled on his lips. "Smart move."
This battle was over, but the war was far from won.