Found this on AO3, but I thought your name looked familiar. Glad you've got this on this side, too.

I really dig how you delved into and developed Masaru and Agumon in this. They're the same as they always were, but the growth and and loneliness from their time alone is made quite clear. Masaru's slowly realized the consequences of his choices over the time he's been gone, but true to character, he doesn't regret a thing. "Them's the breaks, I'm gonna punch something"

However, I think what I enjoyed the most was the world-building. Every time Alice and Masaru talked, it revealed a little more about the Digital World's history and nature, without getting over-detailed either. The bit about Digimon getting more primitive, or how they knew exactly how long it would be before Belphemon's resurrection, and the part about Takato and Guilmon in the distant past. All those things gave an impression of there being much, much more detail to the mythos and history of the Digital World than we're seeing, that you and the characters know about, but the reader doesn't. We know just as much as we need to for the story you're telling, which I like. It makes the world seem more real, to me.

Also makes me want to read more in this fic's verse, to learn more... like what lead Takato and Guilmon to kill a God (ol' Zhuqs? D-Reaper? Or something else entirely?), if Dukemon of the Royal Knights is Takato and Guilmon, and how long ago that was. For some reason, I came away with the impression it was literal eons ago, with the human civilization Takato and Alice grew up in long having declined into pre-history and humanity having to develop back to "modern" standards once again.

And to read about the war with Kurata, and what was told in the final chapter. With the gates re-opening, new people getting partners, and villain from the past, this chapter alone could be a whole story if you wanted it to be!

So, yeah. I'm impressed. Great job!

Dang, I knew it was going to end in tragedy, but at least Masaru and Agumon went down together.

He left enough for it to not be a total loss, and managed to stop Kurata before he could make it worse. It's still not an ideal situation, but it is far more salvageable than Kurata wanted them to get.

No one likes Kurata, he'd probably be in the Hitler tier of dislike with the world.

Wait, is there more or does end so confusingly here?