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Rex and the others barely escaped Luna’s palace, saved at the last moment by Hanako and Akira, who teleported them away. Now, in their human-like forms but still bearing their large fox ears and tails, Hanako and Akira lay sprawled on the ground, visibly exhausted from the effort. Rex, the first to recover, stood up and looked around, confused by their sudden relocation.

“Where are we?” he asked, his voice hoarse but steady.

Leon emerged from a nearby room, his arms and head wrapped in fresh bandages, signs of a recent battle. “You’re in my base,” he said, his voice low and weary. “In Tokyo.”

As the rest of the group slowly regained their bearings, Emi rubbed her temples, disoriented. “I was at school… and now I’m here? How?”

Leon snapped his fingers, summoning a holographic display. The screen flickered to life, revealing a horrifying image: half of Japan had vanished, wiped clean from the map. The atmosphere turned tense as Nur’s voice broke through the shocked silence.

“What… what the hell is this?” Nur demanded, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“Luna did this,” came a voice from the shadows. The figure stepped into the light—it was Malin Locke, her face grim and cold. “During her fight with a monster.”

“Malin…” Rex muttered, recognizing her instantly. As Amber and Baluka descended the stairs, Amber’s face lit up with relief.

“You’re safe!” Amber exclaimed, hurrying toward them.

Malin, however, was focused. She waved Amber off, striding directly toward Leon with an intense look in her eyes. “Master, what are you doing here? I’m looking for Natalia, but first—I’ve got a question for him,” she said, nodding sharply at Leon.

Leon visibly tensed, his earlier confidence faltering. “What… is it?” he asked cautiously.

Malin’s expression hardened, her eyes narrowing. “What the hell were you thinking? You unleashed that monster during the fight. You could’ve destroyed the entire world—or worse!” she yelled, her voice filled with accusation.

Amber looked confused. “What’s she talking about?”

Leon’s gaze flickered to the hologram. “It’s classified… but I can show you,” he said, his tone evasive. With a flick of his fingers, the image on the screen changed, now displaying a terrifying creature—the Omniadapter.

“What is that?” Baluka asked, her voice trembling with fear.

“This… is the Omniadapter,” Leon explained, his expression darkening. “A creature we found after it crash-landed on Earth. It can adapt to anything—literally anything. We managed to contain it, but it’s one of the most dangerous entities we’ve ever encountered.”

Malin wasn’t satisfied. “So why the hell would you use something like that against Luna?”

Leon hesitated, but then answered, his voice eerily calm. “Two reasons. First, I thought it could defeat her. Second, I wanted to see how far her powers would go.”

The room fell into a tense silence, the air thick with suspicion. Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, sensing that Leon wasn’t telling the full story.

But Leon, unwilling to dwell on the subject, abruptly shifted the conversation. “Forget that. We’ve got a bigger problem. Luna’s preparing for another attack—on Japan. We need to stop her before she wipes out what’s left.”

Amber nodded, stepping forward. “What’s the plan?”

Leon took a deep breath. “I’m splitting you into two teams. Nur, Amber, and—” He paused, glancing at Emi with a knowing look.

Emi seized the moment. “Oh, I’m Emi Saito, Rex’s future wifey,” she declared with a smirk. The room went dead silent, all eyes on her in shock.

“Emi, shut up,” Kioko groaned, exasperated.

Leon shook his head, continuing. “Emi, you, Baluka, Amber, and Nur will head to North Korea. They’re constructing a portal there, a way to bring more Yeagers through. You need to stop it.”

Kioko immediately stepped forward, protective. “No. My daughter is not going. I won’t let her risk her life like that.”

“Mom!” Emi protested, but Kioko remained firm.

“We’re leaving for America. It’s safer there, and I have friends who can help us,” Kioko insisted.

Before anyone could react, Nur suddenly struck Kioko from behind, knocking her unconscious. Leon spun around in shock. “NUR! What the hell?”

“She told me to,” Nur said, pointing at Emi.

Emi stepped forward, her expression serious for the first time. “You need me. I’m going, whether my mom likes it or not. So tell me—what’s the plan, Leon?”

Leon sighed, realizing he had no choice. “Fine. Like I said, you four will go to North Korea to stop them from finishing that portal.”

Nur’s face twisted in disbelief. “North Korea? The whole country’s overrun with Yeagers! It’s suicide!”

“That’s why I need you there,” Leon said, resolute. “Emi can use her water manipulation to create a path across the ocean, giving you a direct route.”

Amber nodded. “We’ll handle it. What’s our job once we get there?”

“Emi and Amber will stall them. Nur and Baluka, you’re going to destroy the portal. I’ll send more details when you’re en route,” Leon said.

Rex stepped forward. “And what about me?”

“You, Malin, Hanako, and Akira will go after the Rank Four Yeager. She’s in the heart of Tokyo, waiting for you specifically,” Leon said.

Rex and Malin exchanged a look, both understanding the gravity of the mission. They nodded in agreement.

Hanako and Akira finally rose, their energy restored, and everyone turned their attention to them.

Malin’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you traveling with Yeagers?” she asked, her tone dripping with disdain.

“They’ve saved our lives more times than I can count,” Rex replied sharply, defending them.

Akira glanced at Hanako, then turned to Rex. “Rex, we need to talk—privately.”

“Of course,” Rex said, following them a few steps away.

“It’ll just take a moment, everyone,” Hanako added, her usual smile masking the seriousness of the conversation.

Back in the group, Leon turned to Emi, his voice commanding. “Emi, get moving. Now.” He opened a hidden hatch in the ground, revealing a dark tunnel leading down to the sewers. “This will lead you to the coast. From there, you’ll cross the ocean to North Korea.”

“Understood,” Emi replied with a firm nod. She looked down the hatch, then smiled playfully. “Let’s-a go!” she said, putting on a mock Italian accent.

Baluka hesitated, looking down into the dark tunnel. “I really don’t want to jump down there,” she said, voice trembling.

Nur rolled his eyes and, without warning, gave her a solid push, sending her stumbling down into the sewers. Amber laughed, only to get shoved in herself by Nur before he jumped in after them.

As the others disappeared into the tunnel, Malin turned back to Leon, her gaze icy. “And what about you? What are you going to do?”

“I’ll be coordinating everything from here,” Leon answered.

Malin didn’t seem convinced. “No more secrets, Leon. If you hide something else, I will find out,” she said coldly, before turning and walking away.

Leon watched her go, his face a mask of tension. The weight of their next moves hung heavy in the air.