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As Rex and Malin stepped through the corridors of the Naikaku Sōri Daijin Kantei, the weight of the place pressed down on them like a tangible force. The air was thick, dense with a malevolent aura that seemed to seep into their skin. The oppressive presence of flux energy was unmistakable, saturating the atmosphere, making each breath feel laborious. Every footstep echoed in the cold, darkened halls, and a sense of foreboding crawled over them like a shadow.

“This is where Natalia is,” Malin muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, as if afraid that the very walls would come alive with the flux energy embedded in them. “This place reeks of it.”

Rex’s sharp gaze darted from corner to corner, his instincts screaming at him to stay alert. “Do you think she’s learned to control all of her flux energy?” His voice was even, but beneath it was a deep concern.

Malin remained silent, her brow furrowed. She didn’t need to answer. They both knew that if Natalia had fully mastered her boundless flux energy, they were in for a battle that might push them past their limits. Natalia had always been a force to be reckoned with, but now she could be unstoppable.

The double doors before them loomed large, ornate and ominous. They were the last barrier between them and what they both knew would be a twisted scene. With a nod from Malin, Rex stepped forward, pushing the heavy doors open, and what lay beyond was nothing short of a nightmare.

There, in the center of the room, stood Natalia. Blood smeared across her hands, her fingers tangled in the hair of the Japanese prime minister’s severed head. Her expression was serene, almost too calm, her lips curved into a twisted smile. She paid no mind to the intrusion as she casually took a bite from the prime minister’s frontal lobe, chewing slowly and deliberately. Then, with a flick of her wrist, she tossed the head aside like it was nothing.

“Oh, you guys are finally here,” Natalia said in a light, almost cheerful tone, as if she hadn’t just desecrated a man’s corpse. There was a gleam in her eyes, one that spoke of madness.

Malin’s stomach churned, but she maintained her composure. “Natalia, let’s not do this.” Her voice was steady, though her grip on her sword tightened. “I don’t want to have to kill Griffin’s sister.”

At the mention of Griffin’s name, Natalia’s smile faltered, her expression darkening. Her eyes flared with a venomous rage. “Still about Griffin, huh?” she spat, her voice dripping with contempt. “Always about him. Makes me sick.”

The venom in her words stung like poison, but Malin held her ground, her expression hardening. “Fine, then.”

In one swift motion, Malin unsheathed her sword. The blade hummed with a subtle, unsettling energy, vibrating in tune with her flux. Beside her, Rex mirrored her movement, drawing his weapon, his muscles coiled, ready to strike.

“Remember, Rex,” Malin whispered, her voice low, “use them when I tell you.”

Rex gave a small nod, understanding the strategy. The timing had to be perfect.

They moved as one, a synchronized assault, their blades flashing with deadly intent. Natalia didn’t flinch. With a mocking smile, she blocked both of their attacks, her own sword moving like liquid metal, a blur of steel between them. She was fast—inhumanly fast. Her eyes flicked to Rex’s arms, noticing the transformation. His arms had become skeletal, sharp claws extending from his bony fingers, fueled by dark flame energy.

Rex spun, using the momentum of his body to deliver a powerful kick to Natalia’s side. The impact sent her crashing through the wall, shattering it, and into the open air. Without hesitation, Malin followed, leaping through the opening, her sword vibrating with destructive energy.

“Dark Flame Style, Nova Flames,” Malin thought, the energy in her sword building to a crescendo. The blade glowed as it surged with power. She swung at Natalia, aiming for her exposed side.

The explosion was deafening. The ground beneath them trembled as the shockwave of the impact rippled outward. Natalia’s body was cleaved in two, her flesh and bones torn apart by the sheer force of the strike.

But in the blink of an eye, her body began to regenerate, her severed halves knitting back together with sickening speed. Natalia’s smile returned, wider than before, her eyes wild with madness. “Is that all?” she mocked, her voice unnerving.

Malin landed gracefully, her gaze fixed on the blood staining her sword. It wasn’t just any blood—it was the blood of those she had fought alongside, people she had once known. A grim reminder of the battles they had all endured.

Rex landed beside her, his eyes sharp. He could feel the tension in the air, the flux energy building between them. Malin didn’t waste any time. She quickly formed a series of hand signs, her flux energy wrapping around her like a protective shroud. “Mother’s Loving Palace,” she murmured.

A shimmering dome formed around them, enclosing the battlefield. The air inside the dome was thick with an ethereal energy, soft glowing light illuminating the space. On the walls, countless pictures appeared—snapshots of a life, of memories. Pictures of Malin and a child, scattered across the dome like fragments of a forgotten past. Some were small, intimate, others large and imposing.

Natalia’s eyes narrowed, her amusement fading. “What is this?” she demanded, her voice edged with irritation and unease.

“It’s a reminder,” Malin said, stepping forward, her sword raised. “Of someone I love. Of what I’m fighting for.”

With a surge of energy, Malin charged at Natalia, her sword slicing through the air with deadly precision. Natalia dodged, her blade deflecting the attack, but as the tip of Malin’s sword grazed one of the pictures, the scene around them shifted.

Suddenly, they were no longer in the palace. All three of them were thrust into a memory. Malin’s memory.

They stood in a serene room, watching as a younger Malin cradled a baby in her arms, singing softly. Her voice filled the room, and the baby, cooing softly, smiled up at her. Rex and Malin could feel the impact of the scene, the weight of the memory washing over them. They were flooded with information about the nature of the palace, how its power was tied to these memories, each one unlocking something deeper.

As the song ended, the memory dissolved, and they were back in the dome.

“Do it now, Rex!” Malin shouted, her voice urgent.

Without hesitation, Rex raised his arms. “Hanako and Akira!” he called out.

In an instant, giant fox claws materialized from the ether, slashing at Natalia. She barely managed to dodge, her eyes wide in shock. “We missed her!” Hanako’s voice echoed from the ethereal claws, frustration evident.

From portals, Hanako and Akira stepped out. Their fox bodies were enormous, towering at least twenty feet tall, their presence overwhelming. “It’s alright, Hanako,” Akira said calmly, “we’ll get her next time.”

Natalia, now fully realizing the danger she was in, narrowed her eyes. “Her palace is dangerous… that memory—it triggered the first phase of the Palace’s Singing Melody. And those foxes… did they form a blood pact with Rex? They’re stronger than before!” Her thoughts raced as she calculated her next move.

Malin began to sing again, her voice soft but powerful. The melody reverberated through the dome, and Rex, Hanako, and Akira felt it—an undeniable surge of power coursing through their bodies, their strength amplified by the song. At the same time, Natalia could feel her own energy waning, the song draining her, weakening her with every note.

Natalia gritted her teeth. This was no ordinary fight. The stakes were higher, and she was now up against more than just two warriors—she was battling against malin memories, her bonds, and her will to protect everything that she had loved.

All four of them attacked Natalia in perfect unison, their coordinated assault coming from every angle. Natalia, her instincts razor-sharp, leapt into the air, narrowly dodging the barrage. But Malin, quicker than expected, materialized through one of the pictures in the Palace and lunged at her. Natalia twisted her body mid-air, narrowly dodging the strike, but Malin’s sword grazed another picture.

The moment the blade connected, everything shifted again. The battlefield vanished, and the world around them warped into a new memory.

This time, they stood in a sunlit field, where a younger Malin played with a little girl, laughing as she swung her in wide, joyous circles. The atmosphere was serene, peaceful, almost jarringly out of place in the midst of their violent battle.

Natalia’s eyes widened with sudden realization. “The probability changed! She’s now three steps closer to reaching phase five in her Palace!” Natalia thought, the tension in her chest growing. Each time they entered one of these memories, it brought Malin closer to unleashing the full potential of her Palace.

Rex, who was standing silently, his dark flames swirling around him, watched the scene unfold. “Is this a memory from when Malin was with her daughter?” he thought, his heart heavy with the revelation.

Malin’s Palace wasn’t just a domain of power—it was a manifestation of her most cherished memories. But its true power lay in its ability to manipulate probability. Every time a memory was struck or disturbed, the Palace warped reality, teleporting them into another memory and giving Malin and her allies a significant boost while weakening their enemies.

As the memory ended, Rex, Malin, and the foxes could feel a surge of flux energy swelling inside them. Natalia, on the other hand, felt her strength diminish, her flux energy waning.

“Dark Flame Style: Dark Shockwaves!” Rex thought, channeling the increased energy into his next move. His body surged with black flames, their power crackling in the air. “Don’t move!” Rex shouted.

Natalia’s body froze, her limbs stiff and unresponsive. For a moment, her mind raced, trying to resist the command, but the dark energy coiled around her, locking her in place.

Hanako charged at Natalia with blinding speed, her massive fox form bearing down on the immobilized target. “So annoying,” Natalia thought, her mind scrambling to find an escape. In that split second, Akira and Malin sensed her desperation.

Malin, her resolve unshaken, dashed toward another picture, her sword slicing through it. As soon as the picture was cut, the Palace reacted, pulling them into another memory.

Meanwhile, Akira, realizing what was about to happen, lunged toward Hanako, knocking her out of harm’s way. But in doing so, Akira was hit by Natalia’s counterattack—white flames erupted from Natalia’s body, scorching Akira’s fur and flesh. The searing pain coursed through Akira, but before anyone could react, another memory materialized.

This time, the memory was not a happy one.

The scene was heart-wrenching: Malin, on her knees, cradling the lifeless body of the little girl from before, her daughter. Tears streamed down Malin’s face, her body trembling as she held the girl close. The child was missing half of her head, her innocent life cut short in the most brutal way imaginable. The once-beautiful field was now in ruins, the peaceful atmosphere shattered.

Rex, Hanako, and even Natalia felt the raw, agonizing grief radiating from the memory. Malin stood silently, but tears glistened in her eyes. Her composure cracked, if only for a moment. The weight of that memory, of the tragedy it held, was almost unbearable.

Natalia’s eyes widened in alarm. “She won the probability!” she realized. The Palace had shifted in Malin’s favor. The tragic memory had unlocked the final phase.

“Hanako, get Akira out of here!” Rex roared, his voice filled with urgency. Hanako obeyed without question, biting onto Akira’s scruff and carrying him away to a safer place.

Malin, now fully focused, her grief and rage intertwining, had reached the final phase of her Palace. The shimmering walls of the dome glowed with an overwhelming intensity, and Malin’s body radiated with boundless flux energy.

For eight minutes, Malin would have limitless power, her flux energy now untethered and uncontrollable.

Natalia, for the first time, felt fear creep into her heart. This battle had escalated beyond anything she had anticipated, and now, Malin stood before her, empowered by grief, determination, and the raw force of her Palace. The final phase had begun, and for Natalia, there was no turning back.

Malin and Natalia charged at each other with terrifying speed, their movements blurring through the air. Rex, equally fast, kept pace, his eyes locked on the confrontation. As the distance between them closed, Natalia smirked. “Yeager ability, Flame Steal,” she thought. In an instant, the flames around their swords flickered out, and then—poof—all three of their weapons vanished.

“What the hell?” Malin thought, her eyes widening in shock.

Natalia wasted no time, capitalizing on the moment of confusion. She swung her fist at Malin with deadly force. Malin blocked, gritting her teeth, just as Rex came from the side and landed a powerful punch to Natalia’s ribs. The impact sent a shockwave through her body, but before Natalia could recover, Malin struck her chin with an upward kick, forcing her head back.

“Yeager ability, Flame Discharge.”

Suddenly, a violent eruption of flames burst from Natalia’s body. The inferno launched Malin backward, crashing her into a building. Rex, quick on his feet, dodged the fiery explosion with a mere flicker of his enhanced eyes, his focus sharpening.

In the next split second, Rex and Natalia squared off, each moving with blinding precision. Natalia swung the first punch, aiming for Rex’s face, but he deflected it effortlessly, his body reacting almost instinctively. Rex channeled his flux energy into his fist, eyes narrowing in on the perfect opening.

“Flux Breaker!”

Rex’s fist collided with Natalia’s side, the force rippling through her body, causing her to cough up blood. Despite the blow, Natalia’s expression remained eerily calm, while Rex grinned, his energy shifting with every flux breaker he landed. But Natalia didn’t let up—she planted a fierce kick to Rex’s chest, launching him off the collapsing building.

As Rex plummeted, the realization hit him—each use of the flux breaker unlocked more of his inheritance. He could feel it swelling within him, the knowledge of his new technique.

“Poison Style, Poison Fang!”

From Rex’s outstretched hand, a jet of toxic energy shot toward Natalia. She easily blocked it with her flames, but Rex had planned for this. Using the poisoned smoke as a cover, he slipped behind her with deadly speed. He struck again, aiming for her with another flux breaker. Natalia barely managed to block the full impact but still staggered as the hit landed.

“Every time he lands that damn move, I lose more and more power,” Natalia thought, her eyes narrowing. “It’s like he’s tearing at my very soul.”

Enraged, Natalia unleashed a massive burst of flames, causing the building to collapse beneath them. Both fighters plummeted, debris falling around them like rain. But Rex wasn’t finished—his relentless assault continued as they fell. He dodged her fire, closing the distance once more. His fist ignited with flux energy as he landed another flux breaker.

“You bastard!” Natalia screamed as she tumbled through the air, her body twisting from the blow.

Without missing a beat, Rex surged forward, his energy flaring to dangerous levels. For the final time, he delivered one more devastating flux breaker, sending Natalia flying into the debris-strewn streets below.

Malin appeared from the smoke, her face set in grim determination. “Dark Flame Style! Revengeful Flames!” she thought, her body radiating with dark, violent energy. She struck Natalia in the back, sending her flying even farther. The sheer force of the blow ignited the surrounding area in crimson fire.

Natalia’s expression twisted in fury as she staggered to her feet. “Destruction of Locke Palace,” she whispered, her voice venomous.

Suddenly, a massive palace of flames materialized, encompassing nearly 400 meters of the city. The once-distant horizon was now swallowed by roaring, unrelenting flames. Rex, still standing, felt the scorching heat as the Palace took shape. His leg was caught in the fire, but it regenerated in seconds, his flux energy abilities allowing him to heal rapidly.

“The palace isn’t complete yet,” Rex thought, his eyes darting around. “We can endure this and still win!”

But before they could act, the flames abruptly vanished.

“What just happened?” Rex thought, his eyes narrowing. He couldn’t understand why the flames disappeared so suddenly.

Then he saw it—Natalia stood in the center of the crumbling city, gathering all of her flames into her hand. The intensity of the energy made the air around her warp, as if reality itself was bending under the pressure. She raised her hand, her body trembling from the sheer power she had collected.

“She’s going to detonate all of that energy… within the range of the Palace!” Malin shouted, her voice strained as she rushed toward Rex.

Natalia’s hand crackled with volatile flames, ready to unleash a cataclysmic explosion that would consume everything within the Palace’s range. This was a last resort—her final attempt to obliterate everything in her path. The ground beneath her shook, and the air itself screamed with the power she held.