2687

Two years ago, Malin was training Rex in the ruins of Italy. The city was in shambles, the perfect backdrop for his intense training. “Keep your flux energy in check, Rex. You’re going to burn out if you don’t,” she said, effortlessly blocking his attacks with her sword. Despite his best efforts, she deflected every strike with ease.

Finally, she called for a break. “That’s enough for now,” she said. Rex dropped to the ground, exhausted. “Master, how do you have so much control over your flux energy?” he asked, panting.

Malin sat beside him. “It comes from two things: inheritance and your connection to your soul,” she replied calmly.

Rex looked at her, confused. “What do you mean by that?”

“Inheritance is about where you come from. My ancestors were dark flame users, and their power flows through me, giving me strength. But that’s only half of it. The other part is your soul. You need to be connected to it,” she explained.

Rex furrowed his brow. “So, is the reason I don’t have as much flux energy because of my inheritance?”

Malin shook her head firmly. “No, Rex. You have far more inheritance than I do. Your father and mother both wielded different elements, making you exceptionally powerful. And Griffin? He gave you heritage from the Locke family, making you even more unique. Your issue isn’t inheritance—it’s that you’re not in tune with your soul.”

Rex paused, absorbing her words. “So, if I understand my own soul, I’ll have better control over my flux energy?”

“Exactly,” Malin nodded. “The more you understand and connect with your soul, the stronger and more controlled your flux energy will become.”

“So, is that how Father and Griffin used their Palace?” Rex asked, curious.

Malin shook her head. “No, it’s far more complicated than that. It’s not just about power; it’s about your ideals. Your Palace is a reflection of your beliefs and how you shape those ideals into reality. It gives you more power, yes, but it’s deeply tied to who you are at your core.”

Rex furrowed his brow. “So, I need to understand my own ideals and make them real?”

“Exactly. But be warned, Rex—it takes a tremendous amount of flux energy to create and maintain a Palace. And you’re not ready yet. You don’t fully understand your soul, and until you do, you won’t be able to harness that kind of power,” Malin explained, her voice calm but firm.

Rex nodded slowly, realizing how much more he had to learn. "So, mastering my soul is the first step..."

“Yes, and once you do, your Palace will come naturally,” Malin said. “But for now, focus on building that connection.”

Rex understood what Malin had meant, but before he could reflect more, he suddenly became aware of his surroundings. He blinked, realizing he was lying in a small bed, his body bandaged from his chest down. The room was simple, with lollipops and a pair of tonfas hanging on the wall, an odd but quirky decoration. As he took in the space, the door opened, and a girl with an energetic bounce entered, her eyes lighting up when she saw him.

"The hot guy is awake now!" she exclaimed, dropping the bags she carried. Without hesitation, she hurried over to help him sit up. “Here, let me help you,” she offered, guiding him into a sitting position.

Rex let her assist him, though his body quickly responded. Channeling his flux energy, he healed himself, the bandages loosening as his injuries rapidly mended. The girl’s eyes widened in awe.

“Woah, that’s so cool! You must be part of the Yeager Force!” she said excitedly, practically buzzing with enthusiasm.

Rex stood up, stretching out his arms and legs, feeling his body return to full strength. But something felt off. “All my flux energy is back, but... it feels strange, like someone else’s energy was used to heal me,” he thought, frowning slightly.

The girl interrupted his thoughts, still bubbling with energy. “Oh, I haven’t even introduced myself! I’m Emi Saito! I’m a high school senior, just one more year to go!” She grinned and extended her hand toward him, her smile bright and friendly. “What’s your name, Mr. Hot Guy?”

Rex paused, then shook her hand. “I’m Rex Jones. Thanks for helping me out, but I should get going. I don’t want to be a bother,” he said politely, though his stomach betrayed him with a loud growl.

Emi’s grin only widened. “Hungry, huh? Let me whip something up for you!” she said, not taking no for an answer as she grabbed his arm and led him downstairs to a family restaurant. “One of my mom’s friends is a famous chef, and she gave us this place to run here in Tomakomai,” she explained as she bounced around the kitchen. “Sit tight. I’ll make you something delicious!”

Rex sat down, resigned but curious. He watched as Emi worked in the kitchen, her movements quick and practiced. After a while, she placed a plate of food in front of him, beaming with pride. “Food’s finished! Here you go!”

He hesitated for a moment, then sighed and picked up the chopsticks. “...Thanks,” he muttered, taking a bite. To his surprise, the food was actually quite good, and he found himself eating more quickly than he intended.

“Does it taste good?” she asked with a wide smile, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Rex paused mid-bite, glancing up at her. “Yeah… it does,” he admitted, not expecting to enjoy it as much as he did.

Her smile grew even wider. “Wow, really? That means a lot to me! Especially coming from a hot guy like you,” she said, practically glowing with excitement.

Rex set the chopsticks down, nodding politely. “Thanks for the food, but I really have to get going now.”

Emi tilted her head, her grin never faltering. “But do you though?” she asked teasingly.

“Yes,” Rex replied firmly.

“But do you?” she repeated, a playful edge in her voice.

Rex’s patience thinned, his tone growing irritated. “Yes,” he said again, more forcefully this time.

Emi just giggled, clearly enjoying his frustration.

As Rex and Emi exchanged words, the door to the restaurant creaked open, and a woman entered, quietly taking a seat at the far end of the room. Rex’s senses immediately went on high alert. His gaze sharpened as he recognized the danger.

“Emi, get upstairs,” Rex ordered, his voice tense.

Emi blinked in confusion. "What? Why—"

Before she could finish, the woman stood up, her presence suffocating. She smirked, eyes gleaming with menace. “You really are quick to figure things out, Rex,” she said, her voice dripping with malice. Tattoos snaked up her arms and neck. “My name is Beelzebub, ranked seventh among the Yeagers.”

Rex’s jaw tightened, but before he could react, Emi jumped in. "Woah, woah, woah, if you wanna fight, take it outside!" she said, waving her hands.

“What are you doing?” Rex hissed in disbelief.

Emi grinned, unphased by the rising tension. “I’ll never get a chance to say that again!”

Beelzebub wasted no time, launching at Rex with sharp claws. Rex dodged her attack just in time, pivoting on his foot before delivering a powerful kick to her side. The force of his strike sent Beelzebub crashing through the door, splintering wood everywhere.

The air grew still, tension crackling between them as Rex braced for her next move.

“Get out of here, Emi!” Rex yelled, his voice cutting through the chaos.

Rex leaped outside, landing just as Beelzebub brushed off the dust from her pants. “Wow, you’ve got a strong kick,” she remarked, smirking as if unfazed by the damage.

Rex instinctively reached for his sword, only to remember it was still upstairs. “Brilliant,” he thought, frustrated. “My sword’s still in the damn room.”

“Yeager ability, Swarm,” Beelzebub muttered under her breath, her grin widening. In an instant, hundreds of flies materialized out of thin air. With a snap of her fingers, the swarm launched toward Rex. He moved with swift precision, dodging each one, but every time a fly hit a surface, it exploded, sending shockwaves through the air.

“Dark Flame Style: Dark Flame Beam,” Rex thought, focusing his flux energy. A massive beam of dark flames erupted from his fingertips, surging directly at Beelzebub. But the swarm of flies formed a protective shield, absorbing the full force of the attack. Smoke clouded the battlefield, making it impossible for Rex to see her.

Suddenly, Beelzebub burst through the smoke, closing the distance in a flash. Before Rex could react, she placed her hand on his chest. “My ability lets me touch the souls of others… Let’s see if this works,” she thought, a wicked smile spreading across her face. She connected with Rex’s soul, probing deeper.

But then everything shifted.

Beelzebub found herself in a dark, otherworldly realm, encircled by swirling dark flames. At the center, a figure sat on a high throne. The air turned icy as the figure’s cold, piercing voice echoed through the void.

“I’ll give you just this one warning,” the voice said with venomous authority. “Touch his soul, or my soul again, and I, Amelia Locke, will kill you.”

Beelzebub froze in place, terror gripping her as she realized she had crossed into something far more dangerous than she anticipated.

"Let go of the amazing chest!" a voice yelled. Beelzebub barely dodged a sudden kick that came out of nowhere. It was Emi, holding her two tonfas confidently. “Here ya go!” Emi said, tossing Rex’s sword to him.

“Emi, you’re just a civilian! I don’t want you fighting!” Rex shouted, catching the sword.

"Oh, Rex’y Rex,” Emi grinned, “I’ve been training to be a Yeager Force soldier my entire life. Of course, I’m going to take on this Yeager." Without hesitation, she charged straight at Beelzebub.

“Emi! That person is a Yeager rank!” Rex called out, panic creeping into his voice. Emi paused for a moment, realization hitting her, but then her smile widened.

“Awesome!” she thought, charging forward again, undeterred. “Yeager ability: *Water Drain*,” she muttered under her breath. A mist materialized around her, swirling ominously. As Beelzebub’s hand made contact with the mist, her arm withered, drained of its vitality, leaving a husk behind. Beelzebub recoiled, shocked, and regenerated her hand instantly.

"Yeager ability: *Wings of Death*," Beelzebub responded, grotesque wings sprouting from her back. Swarms of flies poured out, surging toward Emi.

“Oh crap,” Emi whispered under her breath, just as Rex stepped in.

“*Dark Flame Style: Dark Flame Wall,*” Rex thought, summoning a massive wall of dark flames. The fiery barrier incinerated the incoming swarm of flies instantly.

Beelzebub watched from the other side of the wall, her expression darkening. “So, this is Night’s grandchild… she’s got the exact same potential,” she muttered.

“Nice save, Rex! *Water Style: Mist Escape,*” Emi shouted, the mist thickening as the wall of flames dissipated, cloaking their retreat. Beelzebub growled in frustration as they vanished from sight.

“Those bastards ran away!” Beelzebub hissed.

Rex and Emi ran through the streets, eventually stopping at Kirakira Park to catch their breath.

“Good job with that mist,” Rex said, panting.

“Thanks! I’ve been practicing a lot with my teacher,” Emi replied with a proud smile.

Rex raised an eyebrow. “Who is your teacher?” he asked.

“It’s someone my mom met back in 2667. He helped her with some stuff, and in return, she introduced me to this amazing teacher—Lluvia,” Emi explained.

Rex paused, a realization hitting him. “Emi, can I ask you something? Is your mom... Kioko Saito?”

Emi’s eyes widened in surprise, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. “How did you know… Are you secretly dating my mom? I didn’t know she could pull a hottie like you!”

Rex ignored her comment, his thoughts racing. “That proves it, the dream was a vision of the past,” he mused silently.

Emi noticed his distant expression. “What are you thinking about?” she asked, curious.

“Emi, do you have a hotspot through your cybernetics? I need to contact some people,” Rex asked, shifting back to the situation at hand.

“Damn skippy, I do,” she replied enthusiastically.

“Can I use it?” he asked.

“Of course!” Emi quickly connected her cybernetics to Rex, granting him access to her network.

Rex dialed Leon first, but no one picked up. His worry grew, imagining the worst—had Natalia and Shadow already gone after the group? After a moment of hesitation, he called Malin.

“Who is it?” Malin’s voice came through, sharp and cautious.

“It’s me, Rex,” he said.

“Rex? What’s going on?” she asked, her tone softening slightly.

“I need to know something about Griffin Locke,” he said, his voice tense.

Malin paused for a moment, sensing the seriousness in his voice. “What do you want to know?” she asked, cautious.

“Did he have a sister?” Rex’s words hung in the air, heavy with implication.

There was silence on the other end before Malin spoke again, her voice tight. “Where are you getting at?”

“I’m sorry, Master, but… Natalia Locke, his sister, has become Yeager rank four,” Rex explained.

The line went dead. Malin had hung up without another word.

Rex sighed, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He turned to Emi. “Emi, you have to stay with me from now on. You’ve become a target for the Yeagers.”

Emi spun around, a look of fear crossing her face. “Rex, I need your help! It’s my mom—she’s in trouble!” She quickly showed him the news on her device. Onscreen was a live feed of her mother, tied up and beaten, at Emi’s high school.

Rex’s jaw clenched. "We need to move—now."