I was sent Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society as a review code. I am very grateful for this opportunity because this game has been on my Wishlist since it was announced for the Switch. That said, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game.
Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society is a retro-feeling dungeon crawler available now for the PlayStation, Switch, and PC via Steam. Eureka has been hired by Madame Marta to search the mysterious Labyrinth of Galleria for the nine mysterious Curios d’art. With the help of puppet warriors, you must delve into the labyrinth and uncover its secrets. What will your adventure hold?
This game is cute, but it feels unfinished. The deeper I got into the game, the harder it was to finish. The story was fine, but the gameplay loop started to feel repetitive. I enjoyed this game in small bursts. The exploration and combat were soothing, and I enjoyed the story. The problem is that there wasn’t enough to keep me engaged. Labyrinth of Galleria isn’t a bad game. I enjoyed it, but it doesn’t do enough to be worth $50. If you like retro dungeon crawlers and don’t mind how heavily it falls onto anime tropes, the game is fine. It has a pleasing art style, terrific voice actors, and a solid story. If you don’t, maybe wait for a good sale.
The gameplay loop is simple. You move through the dungeon in a first-person view one square at a time, and fight monsters with dolls you collect. Combat runs like a traditional RPG and unlocks new dolls and abilities the deeper you get into the game.
The problem I have with this game lies with the gameplay. The game is fun until the grind gets stale. There are settings you can mess with to make the grind manageable, but it got harder to keep playing the longer I sat with it. This is a game that is tricky to recommend because of how niche it is.
You can pick up Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society for PlayStation, Switch, and Steam for $49.99. Steam currently has it on sale for $39.99 for their NIS publisher sale, but unless you like retro dungeon crawlers, there are better titles you can look at. The sale ends on October 16th.
Voting for the 2023 Golden Joystick Awards has started, and two games I’ve covered this year have been nominated, Viewfinder and Planet of Lana. I loved these games so much that I felt they were worth revisiting, at least for your consideration. Make sure you check out the original reviews, but please vote for whatever feels right.
Voting closes on October 20, and winners will be announced on November 10 during the ceremony. Make sure you head over to the official site to vote and show your favorite games some love.
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Viewfinder
Viewfinder is up for two awards this year, Best Visual Design and Best Indie Game. These nominations are spot on. This game was one of the most visually striking and innovative puzzle games I’ve ever played. Everything about this game is so much fun. The visuals are beautiful, the music is fantastic, and the puzzles are so much fun. If you haven’t played this game yet, you need to! Make sure you check out my full review and go play Viewfinder on Playstation or Steam! The game is currently $24.99 on both platforms and worth every penny.
Planet of Lana
Planet of Lana is up for Xbox Game of the Year, and I can’t think of a game more deserving. This is easily one of my favorite games of the year. it had a beautiful art style with a fantastic world, a wonderful story, and great mechanics. It also has one of the best sound tracks you will ever get to sit through. If you are looking for a fun and relaxing puzzle adventure game, you need Planet of Lana. Make sure you check out my full review. You can pick up Planet of Lana on Steam or Xbox for $19.99, or free if you have Game Pass.
I was sent Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless to review a little after my previous post. I’ve been excited about this title since the first announcement and was planning on buying it regardless. I am very fortunate to get the chance to review it for my site, but I won’t let this sway my opinions on the game. This will be my honest review of the game. If you’ve been enjoying my reviews, make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends.
This is a cute game with stunning visuals, a fantastic soundtrack, and fun gameplay. Do not let how cute this game looks fool you. This game is difficult if you don’t take it seriously. I found the stages appropriately challenging and the mechanics engaging. I played the game on Easy, which was appropriate for my skill level. Although I never found the stages impossible or frustrating, it was easy to wipe if I wasn’t playing strategically. If you’ve never played a strategy game, it has terrific tutorials to get you started.
The story is a little on the silly side, with a general cheesiness I found charming. It has a cast of tremendous actors that make the cut scenes such a delight to sit through. I can see this being a niche game due to its tone, but the gameplay is fun enough that it won’t matter. The story is self-contained enough to exist on its own. While you won’t need to play any of the other games in the series to enjoy Disgaea 7, you are going to.
Aside from the combat, what I love most about this game is how much you can do at the base. Between stages, you get access to all these shops where you recruit new heroes, learn new skills, buy items, vote for buffs, and do other administrative stuff to prepare for the next stage. As goofy as this game looks, I spent a lot of time planning things through, and I loved every minute of it.
Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless releases in North America on October 3rd on PlayStation, Steam, and Switch for $59.99. If it’s not yet on your wishlist, it should be.
The Pokémon Company has partnered with the Can Gogh Museum in Amsterdam to produce some of the cutest and most unique products to come to the space. If you are a collector, or just need another excuse to go to the museum, this event is worth looking into. The exhibit will run from September 28 to January 7th, and you can access it for the price of a regular museum admission ticket.
The Exhibit
The collaboration intends to get the new generation into museums which I love to see. The museum will be hosting six pieces by an artist from The Pokémon Company where they fuse Van Goh’s iconic style with familiar Pokémon such as the Self-portrait with Grey Felt Hat (1887).
Snorlax & Munchlax inspired by The Bedroom
Sunflora inspired by Sunflowers
Pokémon Adventure & Pikachu Promo Card
The museum will also be hosting a Pokémon Adventure activity for kids ages six and up. Participants will be given a leaflet to fill out that will guide them through the museum and teach them about the artist in a fun interactive activity. The leaflet will be available in both Dutch and English and completed leaflets can be exchanged for a cute Pikachu promo card you are going to want in your collection. I am hoping the museum has a good way to mitigate the scalpers or greedy collectors. It would be a shame if the target audience for this event weren’t able to participate because there were too many greedy adults. I guess it won’t be a huge deal if it drives up attendance.
The Merch
But if you aren’t able to get your hands on the promo card, you can settle for some of the adorable exclusive merch that will only be available at the Van Gogh Museum’s gift shop. There is an adorable plushy, a cool tote bag, and more while supplies last. Purchases will also come with a copy of the Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat if any are available.
Conclusion
If you are in the area, make sure you go anyway. It is always good to support the arts. Even if you’ve seen pictures of the famous paintings at an exhibit, nothing beats being in the same room and being able to examine them up close. It is so cool to see how pop culture seeps into the classical. I love this collaboration because it creates this neat retrospective of art that I hadn’t considered. It shows how eternal some ideas have become, but also how these ideas continue to inspire and evolve. I bet Van Gogh never imagined he would have a whole museum dedicated to him, but here his work is, on a Pokémon card.
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I was sent Dance Dashand the remote straps for the Meta Quest 2 to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review of the game. If you’ve been enjoying my reviews, make sure you like, comment, and share this with your friends. I’ve got a bunch of games lined up for future posts, so don’t forget to leave me a follow as well!
While you don’t necessarily need the straps to play Dance Dash, the experience is better with them. The straps are a solid build quality and are sturdy. They both held the Quest remotes snugly and securely to my feet without incident. It did take some time to become comfortable with having the controllers on my feet, but even at my wildest, there wasn’t much danger. That said, be careful when using these accessories and playing this game. I recommend you use shoes as instructed for added security. Playing barefoot didn’t allow enough clearance to between the sensors and the floor to play this game safely.
The only real issue I had with the straps was when the game made me jump over obstacles. While the remotes were secured safely, there was always enough of a shift during the jumps to make me uncomfortable. Investing in dedicated feet trackers might be the optimal way to play this game, but I only recommend that route if this becomes the only game you daily drive. Otherwise, the straps (or something creative like it) will suffice.
Dance Dash is a solidly built game. It runs fine for a rhythm game, but make sure you play in a well-lit room to ensure proper tracking. I also recommend turning off-hand tracking. I found that the game would often confuse the controls and stop tracking my feet. This would turn the game into a sort of drumming game which can also be fun with a bit of tweeking. The graphics are fun and good enough, the hands-free controls work well, and the mechanics left me breathing a little harder than Beat Saber. The music is fine, but you can always use the free Dance Dash Beatmap Editor to make and upload your own.
Dance Dashis fine if you are looking for a new rhythm game and don’t mind buying into the accessories. They aren’t required, but they make a difference. You can pick up Dance Dancefor Steam VR for $19.99. You can also pick up the bundle with accessories for Meta Quest 2 ($29.99), Vive (49.99) and Valve Index ($29.99)
I was sent Deceit 2as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions about the game. This will be my honest review of the game. If you enjoy my reviews, make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share them with your friends.
Deceit 2 is a unique take on the traitor-finding genre. You are trapped in a demonic ritual stuck playing a sadistic game run by a demonic game master. Together with nine other players, you must work together to escape. But two players are working against you. Can you find out who the traitors are in time to make your big escape, or are you doomed to play the game forever?
Before you consider buying this game, evaluate how comfortable you are speaking to strangers over a mic. This game’s sandbox structure both helps and hinders its longevity because what makes this game fun is its player base. The freedom the game gives you as you complete tasks and work towards the win condition is fantastic, but games aren’t fun when no one is talking. What makes games like this fun are the shenanigans they foster. I found that in the games where no one was talking, I was often waiting for the game to end. Unless you are willing to create your own fun or have friends to play with that will help you do that, there really isn’t much reason to get Deceit 2.
It is a shame I can’t recommend this game because the game looks good. It has a fantastic theme, and some cool mechanics and it runs great with a bit of tweaking. If this game were free, I would be urging everyone to try it at least once. Unfortunately, the price tag makes this game a gamble.
If you are willing to make your own fun and enjoy this genre of games, now is the best time to get it because it has a decent-sized population. Once the game fades from the public eye, it’s going to die, and no amount of content is going to revitalize it. There might be a slight uptick during free weekends and the console releases, but it’s not going to have a lasting presence in the genre.
Deceit 2 is out now on Steam, with PlayStation and Xbox releases planned for the future. I can’t recommend it because of how heavily it relies on strangers to be fun, but you can pick it up for $14.99.
I know these have been random as I try to catch up the the novel. I’ll be sure to be back on a set schedule once I do. Thanks again for your support! I put a lot into these translations, so I hope you’ve been enjoying it so far. Make sure you support the original story and leave me some love if you can. Don’t forget to share this with your friends!
Pulsemon zips through the sea of data, blurring through it in flashes of bright yellow light. Bellow him sit mounds of junked data stacked in messy, unorganized heaps reminiscent of a landfill. Occasionally, Pulsemon summons a small hologram map with marked-off coordinates.
“It’s somewhere around here,” Pulsemon says as it compares the map with their surroundings. They had ventured out of the Walled Slums into an area past the Rusted Coast. They were looking for a hole in the firewall that separated the human world from the Digital world. Somewhere over these heaps of rotting wreckage was a vortex that could be a doorway to the other side.
“I’m not picking up any more readings,” Pulsemon says as it continues its flight.
“Let’s head down there,” Leon says from his place in the mindlink. Pulsemon lowers itself toward the ground. Around it, pieces of the environment glitch, blurring or continually blinking in and out of existence.
Leon looks around at the empty baron wasteland. “So this is just a floating island of garbage.”
Leon looks out into the horizon towards the firewall. It appeared like a massive moon or planet as it towered over the highest peaks of garbage. Its scale is breathtaking, but the secrets it held within would be more. What lay beyond the firewall? A planet? A galaxy. Humanity has only achieved blurry glimpses beneath the veil, and here Leon stood at the precipice.
“You sure it’s not a bad tip?” Pulsemon interrupts. “This doesn’t look like a place Tartarus would hang out in.”
Leon wakes from his trance. “No, it’s a solid lead.”
“I don’t know…” Pulsemon’s words are shrouded in worry. “This feels like a trap. The Sons of Chaos are still pretty pissed about the whole Machinedramon thing.”
“You can handle a few Sons of Chaos goons, can’t you?”
“It just looks dangerous is all…” Pulsemon’s voice trails off.
“Just stay sharp Pulsemon.” An uneasy silence falls over them as they look over the landscape.
HOWLING FIRE
A fireball tears through the air. It’s heat searching for an unsuspecting target, but Pulsemon is quick to react. The fireball narrowly misses as it flips out of the way. The fire ball lands with an explosion, leaving behind a crater of burning data.
“That was close,” Pulsemon chips as he lands into his battle stance.
“Hey Pulsemon,” Loogamon says as it steps into view. Small embers lick around its maw as it gives a hungry smile.
“Eiji?” Leon lets out. There is a bit of shock in his tone before he forces composure. “So you’re one of leaders now?”
“Nope, just a rookie.”
“Sure you are…” Leon can’t hide the disappointment that clings to his words.
Minor Impulse
Pulsemon begins to glow a bright yellow as a bolt of lightning jumps from its body and lands with a crash as Loogamon leaps out of the way.
“That was almost impressive,” Pulsemon taunts.
“I wasn’t even trying.” Loogamon gives a mocking grin.
“Whatever you say mutt.”
“Bring it on Sparkles.”
The two Digimon stare each other down.
“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised a code cracker is a criminal.”
“I was happy to see you Leon. It was nice catching up, but this is business. You messed up, now you have to deal with the consequences.”
“So you here to collect our bounty?”
“In a way, it depends on how our talk goes.”
“Get to the point Eiji.”
“If you promise not to interfere with the Sons of Chaos, we’ll let the… incident with the Machinedramon go.”
“You know I can’t do that.”
“I knew it wouldn’t be that easy, but it was worth a shot.”
“Look, if you need money, I can help you. You don’t have to do this.”
“I am not your charity case,” Eiji barks.
“But I can help you…”
“I choose how I want to live my life. You come to me after all these years and expect me to betray my ideals… for money?”
“Ideals? I thought you became a code cracker because you needed money.”
“You don’t get it,” Eiji’s voice trembles with anger and frustration. “Why don’t you go back to your cushy life and focus on school and leave me to mine.”
Leon knew there was no getting through to Eiji. He is a code cracker now, and it was Leon’s duty to hunt them down. Leon gives out a sad sigh as he appears as a hologram next to Pulsemon.
“The professor is using you Eiji. I’ve seen too many code cracker pass through the professors doors. He uses them up and tosses them like the garbage around us. And, you’re no different than them…”
“What did you say?!”
Pulsemon vanishes.
Electric Rush!
Pulsemon appears above Loogamon and comes crashing down in a bolt of lightning. Loogamon barely jumps out of the way, only feeling the heat of Pulsemon’s electricity as it brushed past.
Loogamon lands on a wobbling piece of floating debris.
“Stay away from the professor!” Leon shouts. “He doesn’t need any more worthless code crackers.”
“So this is what it’s all about? That’s how you really feel? You just don’t want anyone else getting close to your precious professor.”
The two old friends stood on opposite ends. They weren’t the same kids they were back then. Time had torn them apart, and both had a job to do.
“You really want to lose to me so badly? Fine! Pulsemon, let’s get serious.”
“Right!”
Pulsemon glows as its silhouette grows. When the light fades, Boutmon stands where Pulsemon did. It cracks its knuckles and smiles as bolts of static run down its body.
Boutmon rushes Loogamon, letting out a series of electric punches and kicks. Loogamon is able to dodge them as its fur begins to stand, charged with static. One of the kicks crashes through the piece of debris holding them up, breaking it to pieces.
Loogamon lands, kicking up dust and dirt. Its gaze fixed on Boutmon.
“Loogamon, it’s our turn!”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Loogamon lets out an earth shaking howl as it digivolves into Loogarmon.
Its massive crimson claws dig into the earth as its body tenses. Flames lick from its iron muzzle. The large feathers down his arms and neck shake in the breeze.
The two champion Digimon stare each other down intensely.
“That’s a cute champion form, but it’s going to take more than that Eiji!” Leon taunts.
“Just like we practiced Loogarmon!”
“Hey sparkles, I don’t want to hear any crying when I beat you.” The fur down its back begins to stand as flames build inside its maw.
Howling Burner!
Loogarmon whips the flames around to form a large wall of fire. Loogarmon disappears behind the smoke and flames.
“Cute trick!” Boutmon shouts.
Lightning Heel
Boutmons leg builds with electrical energy as it raises its leg over its head. It lets down a sweeping explosive kick through the flames. The flames continue to burn, but for a brief moment, the flames part to reveal Loogarmon and its sinister smile.
“This is my domain!” Loogarmon growls.
Flame Blow
Before Boutmon has a chance to react, Loogarmon becomes covered in flames and lunges towards them.
Fire Breath
Before the wolf can connect, flames fall onto Boutmon from three different directions.
“How?!?” Leon shouts as he searches for the source. Smoke and flames rise from Boutmon’s body. It staggers for a moment before falling to a defensive position. Three Tyrannomon step from the shadows and stares down from their place on top three separate peaks.
“What a dirty trick!” Leon grumbles.
“You didn’t pick up on them Boutmon?” Loogarmon taunts.
There was too much interference from the junk data around them. “They know Leon. This was a trap…” Boutmon’s voice trails off.
Leon scrambles to think of a plan. “So you have to cheat to beat me?”
“I’ll beat you Leon, even if it takes every dirty trick in the book.”
The Tyrannomon retreat out of site. The two champion Digimon continue to stare each other down. Boutmon takes a breath as he changes his stance. Electricity starts to build in his palms. Loogarmon readies a Howling Burner as it watches Boutmon closely.
Buden Blast
Both Digimon release their stored energy. It creates a massive explosive on impact, blowing chunks of junk data and debris flying in every direction. The explosion releases a shockwave. Loogarmon jumps to dodge the impact, but Boutmoun appears below them.
Storm of Blows
Boutmon unleashes a flurry of punches and kicks, each landing hard on the unsuspecting wolf.
The Tyrannomon reappear, letting out torrents of flame that engulf Boutmon, giving Eiji and Loogarmon enough of a distraction to create distance between them.
“Dammit!” Leon lets out as Boutmon lands, its body still searing from the flames.
“Calm down Leon. Look. We’re wearing them down.” Leon looks over at Loogarmon. Its feathers are ruffled and matter. The large Digimon pants heavily.
“Alright, but it’s a little crowded. Let’s make some room Boutmon. Digivolve!”
“Understood.”
A massive bolt of lightning comes crashing down over Boutmon. The force of the impact explodes burning debris in every direction. Kazuchimon stands letting out a terrifying roar.
“The Tyrannomon are scared Eiji, call them back.” Eiji gathers the Tyrannomon back into the dock.
“Alright Loogarmon, be ready for anything.”
Kazuchimon takes a step forward. Its electric blade still points to the ground.
“You’re too week Eiji. You should have quit when I asked you. Kazuchimon!”
Shido Ittetsu
Kazuchimon lifts its hand. It begins to glow as storm clouds begin to gather overhead.
“What the?” Eiji exclaims as he watches the sky. Lightning builds, forming an unnatural cage around them.
“It’s a digital barrier. They’re trying to trap us!” Loogarmon shouts. It leaps as it tries to escape, but it’s too late. An electromagnetic barrier comes crashing down, cutting off their escape.
Kazuchimon slices at debris as it closes in on Loogarmon.
Loogarmon uses its tail to throw a piece of debris at the barrier. It vaporizes on impact. “It’s no use, we’re trapped.”
“Don’t worry, we got this,” Eiji says in an attempt to stay positive.
Kazuchimon stands over them. It looks down at them grimly. They can feel the heat from the blade. Before Loogarmon has a chance to react, the blade slices through its body, leaving behind a searing pain. Eiji loses focus as the pain becomes too unbearable.
“I made a mistake,” Leon says.
“What?” Eiji manages through the pain.
“I shouldn’t have offered you money. I shouldn’t have offered you a way out. I should have knocked some sense into you from the beginning. Give up Eiji, it’s over.”
“No! I…”
“You can’t win Eiji.”
Kazuchimon crosses his blades as energy begins to build between them. Eiji could feel the heat building as he stares down the familiar attack.
Eiji is overcome with desperation. The pain makes it difficult to think straight. “I can’t lose.” Eiji thinks about the professor. About all the times Eiji made him proud. “I have to do better. I want to do something meaningful with my life.” Eiji thinks about his time with Loogamon. “I have to win….We have to win…”
Shinden Shouraiko
The light from the twin blades becomes blinding. They burst with energy. A familiar sensation builds up within Eiji. He feels large amounts of power begin coursing through Loogarmon.
I was sent Hellsweeper VR as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let this sway my opinions. This will be an honest review of the game. If you enjoy my reviews, don’t forget to like, comment, follow, and share this with your friends.
Hellsweeper VR is a roguelike hack-and-slash game for Steam, Quest, and PlayStation VR. You play as a dammed soul trying to repent for your sins. You are tasked with spending your afterlife hunting down demons until your depth is paid, earning your passage to heaven.
The game has cool flavor and a solid concept, but Hellsweeper is a bit too simple for its own good. Once the novelty of the experience wears off, the game becomes repetitive and boring. You dive into the dungeon and try to get as far as possible before dying and starting over. You start with simple weapons or magic and find upgrades throughout your run or you can buy them in between them. Combat feels clunky, and it grows stale after a while. You have options on how you fight the forces of hell, but I always felt the guns were the best way to go about it. The game tries to shake things up by having you complete different missions during each run, but not all of them are fun. By the end of my first run, there wasn’t any real reason to keep playing.
The game isn’t bad, but there are better games you can play. Hellsweeper VR isn’t worth the $29.99 it asks for, and even at a discount, your money is better spent elsewhere.
I love the anime Spy x Family. I remember throwing it on randomly because I needed background noise, but I ended up binging it and loving every moment. If you haven’t seen it, you need to because it is one of the cutest things you’ll ever sit through.
The government’s best spy is under assignment to pass as a family man. He needs to find a woman and daughter to help him pass as the perfect family, but what he finds is something much more meaningful. There is action, mayhem, and murder, but where the show truly shines is in the cute slice-of-life family moments that exist in between. I loved watching the characters slowly become a family, and the humorous dramatic irony of the situation makes this series such a delight to watch. Go watch it it on Hulu!
Well, the game, SPYxANYA: Operation Memories, was just announced, and it looks just as cute as the anime. You play as Anya on her mission to create meaningful memories with her family and friends. This is a slice-of-life adventure game where you can play mini-games, go on outings, and enjoy the world of Spy x Family more intimately. I enjoy slice-of-life for their change of pacing. I will need to see more before I add it to my cart, but for now, I am interested. The game comes out next year.
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Make sure you always support the original, but I appreciate your continued support on my translations. They take a bit of work, but I’ll do my best to catch up with the novel as soon as possible. If you like these translations, make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends.
Eiji finds the professor behind his desk. He is busy working on his lunch when the pair walk in. “Sorry. I’m running a bit behind” he manages to say between bites. He continues to scroll through the report on the screen in front of him.
“Oh, no worries. I can come back some other time.” Eiji understood that the professor was a busy man with important work.
“No no, I’m meeting with a student later. It has to be now.” He finishes off the last bite of his sandwich as he stands to greet the pair properly. “What news do you have for me?”
“Uh, well everything is in the report.”
The professor nods. “So they were after the Machinedramon, and they failed to get their hands on it.” The professor clasps his hands, “Not bad for your first night out.”
“But there’s more.” Eiji adds. “I think Tartarus is collecing Mega level Digimon. I don’ t know why, but it can’t be for anything good.”
“Yes, that’s a serious problem.”
“There was also this hacker…” Eiji watches the professor for a reaction.
“Hacker?”
“Yeah, he had a Mega Digimon. It took out the Machinedramon and one of the SOC leaders with little effort.”
“Next time, they won’t get away,” Loogamon growls. The hair down his back begins to stand.
The professor lets out a laugh. “You’ll need to be a Mega yourself if you want to stand a chance.”
“Mega form?” Loogamon’s ears perk up, and its tail wags excitedly behind him.
“What would Loogamon’s Mega even look like?”
The professor shrugs, “Who knows, but it’s going to be exciting!” The professor can’t hide his smile as he continues to theorize all the possible Digivolutions.
Loogamon’s fang glistens into a smile. “You have to get me to my Mega Eiji!”
“I got you!” Eiji says, returning a reassuring smile to his partner.
“It’s a shame about the Machinedramon,” the professor interrupts. “I would have loved to study it, even if it meant sifting through the scraps.”
“That hacker got in my way…” Eiji studies the professor for a reaction. But the professor doesn’t react.
“Hmmm.” The professor seems to study Eiji for the same.
“I know who the hacker is…”
“I know. The hacker is a former student of mine. Leon Alexander.” The professor says as he turns the monitor towards Eiji and Loogamon, showing them a picture of Kazuchimon.
Eiji lets out a sigh of relief. “Good. I didn’t want to be the one to tell you.”
“It’s all fine.”
“I’m not going to get fired am I?”
“Why would you be?”
“Well, I was just talking to Leon and he doesn’t think highly of my being a code cracker.” Eiji can’t shake the worry from his words.
Ryusenji smiles. “Whatever Leon thinks about this has no bearings on my judgement of you, and it never will.” He places his hand on Eiji’s shoulder. “I chose you for a reason Eiji. I run this place, not Leon.”
Eiji lets out a sigh of relief. “Good, kuz I love this job.”
“Now putting all that aside, I hear you’re the only one he showed Pulsemon to all those years ago. All of this seems sort of…fated.”
“Huh, it kind of does. But um…” Eiji struggles to find the words. “He also said he didn’t like me coming in and out of here. He said it might ruin your reputation working with a… code cracker.”
“Well Leon can be…a little too serious at times. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a wonderful quality, but I wouldn’t put too much mind to him. You’re meant to be here Eiji. Don’t worry.”
“I didn’t say anything about you hiring me to look into the Sons of Chaos, but I’m sure he’s got his suspicions.”
“Hmm,” The professor goes silent.
“So, um..”
“Ah! So you’re worried about how to handle Leon, him being an old friend and all.”
“Well no, it’s not about fighting him. I’m just worried he’ll leak that I am spying on the Son’s of Chaos.”
“I’ll think about how to handle Leon, you just…” the phone rings and cuts off the professor. His next appointment has arrived.
Eiji excuses himself as he returns Loogamon to his Digimon Linker. Before Eiji can walk out of the office, Eiji freezes and turns to the professor. “I forgot to tell you, I talked with Tartarus!”
The professor pushes the bridge of his glasses to his nose, “And is he well?”
“I only heard his voice over chat, but I know he’s looking for a Black Agumon.”
A woman appears at the doorway and knocks gently. The professor motions her to come in. A shiver runs down Eiji’s spine as he recognizes the woman. He ducks his head and hurries out the door.
“Thank you professor,” She says as Eiji rushes past her. She doesn’t pay much attention to him.
Character design/illustration illustrator: malo
Eiji walks through the security checkpoint and sees Hatsune behind reception. He makes his way through the lobby, “I thought you had some errands to run?”
“Are you free tonight? Let’s go grab a drink!” Loogamon adds, its voice rings from the Digimon Linker. Hatsune lets out a laugh.
“Shhhh, you’re not supposed to talk outside the checkpoint, remember?!” Eiji says he covers the watch face. His ears turn a bright red. A few people waiting in the lobby turn to look at him.
“Did Loogamon just ask me out?”
“I’m just saying what Eiji is thinking,” Loogamon says smugly.
“Shut up,” Eiji snaps as he mutes the Digimon Linker. “Anyways, um…That woman who just came to see the professor. She’s with the police isn’t she?”
“Yeah,” Hatsune says, lowering her voice. “She’s from the Digipolice.”
“I knew it…”
The professor has a lot of influence with the police, so she comes around every so often.”
“Do you know her name?”
“Shuu Yulin. Why? Are you into older women or something?”
Eiji hands the pass back to Hatsune. “So, about that drink?”
Hatsune looks over Eiji for a moment and smiles. “Sure, why not? You seem harmless enough, plus I have something I want to discuss with you. Here’s my Grimm handle.
Eiji’s phone dings as he reads the Hatsune’s name in disbelief. His heart pounds in his chest. “What do you need to talk about?” His voice shakes with nervous excitement.
“I’ll message you later. It’s something I can’t talk to anyone else about.”
Eiiji wakes to the sounds of his neighbors talking next door. He groans as he checks the time. “Loogamon, do I have any messages?”
“Check them yourself,” Loogamon snaps.
“Fine,” Eiji says as he lazily reaches for his phone nearby. He begins scrolling through his messages slowly. Eiji sits up from his place on the floor when he sees Hatsune’s name. “Why didn’t you wake me when I got this?”
“I’m not your secretary.”
Eiji opens the message and begins reading eagerly. “I think my boyfriend is cheating on me. I was wondering if you could do a bit of… code cracking on his account for me…”
Eiji stops reading. His heart sinks. “Of course, she has a boyfriend.”
“Sounds like Hatsune trusts you at least,” Loogamon chimes in.
“You think so?”
“Well if he is cheating, they’ll break up, right? Then she’s single.”
“I can’t believe I am taking dating advice from a Digimon…”
“Oh, you got a private message on the Sons of Chaos channel. It’s marked important.”
“What’s it say?” Eiji asks, trying to forget his disapointment.
“It’s from the Leader Tartar sauce.” Loogamon laughs.
Eiji pulls up the message and reads, “Eiji, Your performance during the attack on Nation X’s server was exemplary. Marvin and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We request your services for another mission. “
“Wow, a personal request from Tartarus already?”
Eiji continues to read, “We need you to help us get back at the Hacker Judge. We can’t let his transgressions against the Sons of Chaos go unpunished.”
Leon falls silent. This would be the ultimate test of loyalty. This would be the fastest way to earn Tartarus’ trust, but would be able to defeat Leon?
“So you’re gunna fight him?” Loogamon asks.
“Yeah, I am.”
“Isn’t he your friend?”
“Yeah…” Eiji’s voice trails off. “This is going to be a hard one.” Eiji grows silent.
“So what’s the plan?” Loogamon asks finally.
“We can’t beat Leon and Kazuchimon in our current state. We have to figure out a way to Digivolve.”
“I’ll never say no to getting stronger!” Loogamon perks up from his place on Eiji’s bed.
Eiji lays back and stares at the ceiling as he begins formulating a plan. “Get ready Leon, we’re coming for you!”
