Rex stood beside Amelia, his breath shallow, his heart pounding in his chest. The memory they had been watching flickered and faded like smoke carried away by a gust of wind. His brow furrowed, frustration etching deep lines into his face as he turned toward her.

  “Why did you stop the memory?” he demanded, his voice sharp, edged with irritation. His fists clenched at his sides, the tension in his body palpable.

  Amelia remained silent for a moment, her gaze fixed on the empty space where the memory had just been. Her violet eyes were distant, calculating, as if she were weighing something far beyond Rex’s understanding. Finally, she spoke, her voice calm but firm.

  “I want to show you the rest later,” she said simply, as if that were enough of an explanation.

  Rex’s jaw tightened. “But why?” he pressed, his voice rising. “You keep holding back, Amelia. I need to know what’s going on. I need to understand!”

  She turned to face him then, her eyes locking onto his with an intensity that made him hesitate. There was something in her gaze—something cold, almost ruthless. “Don’t question my methods,” she said, her tone cutting through the air like a blade. “This will be one of your final trials. Trust the process, Rex.”

  Before he could argue further, the world around them shifted. The remnants of the memory dissolved, and suddenly, they were no longer standing in the void. The ground beneath their feet became solid, cracked and scorched, and the air grew heavy with the scent of burning metal and ash. The sky above was a deep, swirling crimson, streaked with embers that rained down like dying stars.

  Rex’s eyes widened as he took in the scene. They were standing in the middle of a vast battlefield, the echoes of war ringing in the distance. The silence was deafening, broken only by the faint crackle of flames and the occasional rumble of the earth beneath them.

  And then he saw it.

  A figure stood ahead, tall and unmoving, cloaked entirely in shadows. There was something eerily familiar about him—something in the way he stood, the way he carried himself. A presence that made the hairs on the back of Rex’s neck stand on end.

  “Who’s that?” Rex asked, his voice quieter now, almost a whisper.

  Amelia’s expression remained unreadable. “A person who exists in a distant part of our galaxy,” she answered cryptically, her gaze never leaving the shadowed figure.

  Rex studied the figure carefully. Though his features were obscured, Rex could feel it—an unsettling sense of familiarity. His stance, his posture, the way he stood like a warrior who had already accepted his fate. It was too similar to Rex himself.

  Before he could dwell on it further, a voice cut through the heavy air, sharp and commanding.

  “Are you both ready to begin?”

  Rex turned his head sharply. A tall woman stood beside Amelia, her presence radiating authority and power. She was dressed in flowing robes that seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly light, and her eyes glowed with an intensity that made Rex instinctively straighten his posture. He didn’t recognize her, but he knew—this was someone he couldn’t ignore.

  Rex looked back to his opponent. The shadowed figure stood still, rigid, yet something in his posture told Rex he was just as uncertain.

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  Amelia raised her hand, her voice calm but firm. “Let the timer start.”

  The battlefield crackled with energy, the air thick with anticipation.

  Without hesitation, both fighters fell into their stances. Rex tightened his grip on his sword, lowering his center of gravity. The shadowed figure raised his hands—one fist clenched, the other open. An unusual, controlled stance.

  The countdown began.

  Three.

  Rex steadied his breathing, his focus narrowing to a single point.

  Two.

  The shadowed figure tensed, his body coiled like a spring.

  One.

  Zero.

  They lunged.

  Blades and fists clashed in a flurry of motion. Rex swung his sword in a sharp arc, but his opponent weaved past it with inhuman speed. A counterattack followed—a powerful punch aimed at Rex’s ribs. He barely managed to block, but the force rattled his bones.

  Strike. Block. Counter. Evade. Their movements were like a perfect dance, each anticipating the other’s next move. It felt as if Rex was fighting his own reflection.

  Rex grit his teeth. Whoever this was, he wasn’t just strong—he fought like him.

  And that terrified him.

  Then, without warning, Rex's eyes darkened with focus.

  "Dark Flame Style: Dark Burst," Rex thought.

  Black-red orbs of energy materialized in the air, surrounding the battlefield. He clenched his fists.

  "Times ten."

  The orbs detonated simultaneously, engulfing the area in a sea of dark flames. But the shadowed figure moved with precision, dodging every explosion like a ghost slipping through the cracks of reality.

  “Theon of Flames: Solar Flare,” the man in the shadows murmured.

  With a flick of his fingers, blinding golden flames erupted, engulfing Rex in an inferno of solar heat. The sheer intensity made the ground beneath them crack and melt.

  Rex’s instincts screamed. He summoned his own dark flames, cloaking himself in their protective energy. The two opposing forces clashed, sending ripples of power through the battlefield.

  As the flames dissipated, Rex locked eyes with his opponent. For the first time, he saw it—a flicker of surprise.

  He hadn’t expected Rex to survive.

  Rex smirked, lifting his sword. "Dark Flame Style: Dark Storage."

  The dark flames condensed into the blade, crackling with raw energy. Rex swung at his opponent, but the man dodged—he knew exactly what would happen if he was hit.

  From a distance, the tall woman watched with keen interest.

  “This boy, Rex… Do you think he’s ready for what he has to do?” she asked.

  “He’s close,” Amelia replied. “But until he can truly let go and embrace what he must become—a Paradox—he isn’t there yet.”

  She gestured toward the shadowed man. “And what about him? Will he be able to?”

  The woman’s gaze lingered on the figure. “Of course. He’s grown so much… ever since Irene.”

  Back on the battlefield, Rex finally landed a blow. His sword connected, and a massive explosion erupted, sending his opponent hurtling backward.

  But the shadowed man landed on his feet. Even in the darkness, Rex saw a thin trail of blood dripping from his opponent’s side.

  Then, in the blink of an eye, he vanished.

  Before Rex could react, a crushing blow slammed into his stomach. His body launched backward, blood escaping his lips.

  "Dark Flame Style: Dark Flame Universe," Rex thought desperately.

  With a single swing, a tidal wave of black flames engulfed the battlefield, consuming everything.

  His opponent remained unfazed.

  "Theon of Flames: Scorched Universe Operation," the man thought, countering with a burning fist.

  The flames clashed violently, turning the battlefield into a warzone of destruction. Then, the man in shadows split into multiple clones.

  "Extinction Type: Twenty, Swaying Dance."

  The clones moved rhythmically, attacking in a relentless assault. Rex dodged swiftly, slicing through each one with precision. His eyes flickered, turning a piercing yellow.

  "Poison Style: Poison Spike," Rex thought.

  Spikes erupted from the ground, laced with venom. The real opponent was impaled, gripping the spike with his hand.

  Flaming arms erupted from his back, attempting to strike Rex down. Rex barely dodged, though he felt the heat sear his skin. He healed almost instantly.

  Then, he heard a sharp click.

  Bracelets unlatched from the shadowed man’s wrists.

  The flames surrounding him grew more violent, chaotic. Uncontrollable.

  Rex’s yellow eyes allowed him to see into the near future. He dodged each attack with precision.

  “Let’s end this,” Rex declared.

  His opponent didn’t respond.

  "Theon of Flames: Scorching Flames."

  The shadowed man gathered all his power into his fist.

  "Dark Flame Style: Dark Death, 100% Output," Rex thought.

  Both warriors roared, their final attacks colliding in an explosion of power. The battlefield was swallowed in white light.

  Then—silence.

  Rex gasped, looking around. The battlefield was gone.

  “What happened?” he asked.

  “The fight is over,” Amelia said.

  “Why?”

  “You’ve both proven you are nearly ready for your final battle,” the tall woman stated.

  Rex turned. The shadowed man began to fade, revealing his true form. He was dark-skinned, dressed in red and white, his pupils flickering like flames.

  Their eyes met.

  “So that’s what you look like,” they both said in unison.

  “What’s your name?” Rex asked.

  “…Sam. Just Sam,” the man replied before vanishing.

  Rex’s eyes snapped open. He was buried under rubble. With his immense strength, he shoved it aside with ease.

  “Rex! Are you okay?!” Hanako called out.

  Rex exhaled, standing tall. “Yeah! Keep going! I’ll catch up.”

  And with that, he stepped forward—ready for what came next.