Rex understood his assignment clearly. With determination, he jumped up to the next platform and passed through the door. However, as he crossed the threshold, something strange caught his attention. The area beyond was completely new, unlike anything he had encountered before. A glass-enclosed bridge stretched out before him, surrounded by a bizarre sight—a raging fire tornado with molten lava swirling beneath it.

Rex frowned in confusion. How is this underneath the world? he thought, bewildered. How have we never seen this before? But he quickly shook off his thoughts and continued forward, crossing the bridge with careful steps. As he reached the other side, he found himself in yet another unfamiliar area. The heat here was intense, almost overwhelming, but Rex pressed on.

Monsters lurked in this hot zone, but they were no match for him. He dispatched them with ease, making his way to the next room. There, in the center, was a furnace with a glowing handprint on it. Rex placed his hand on the print, and the furnace redirected itself back to the room with the robots.

Retracing his steps, Rex returned to the robot’s chamber. He cautiously peeked inside, his eyes scanning for any sign of the mechanical menace. The usual chirping noise was absent, indicating the coast was clear. Satisfied, he ventured through the newly activated door the furnace had revealed.

As Rex entered the room, a strange metallic object floated in the air, catching his attention. The metal thing turned towards him, and without warning, lasers shot out at Rex. He swiftly dodged the beams, realizing that his usual attacks were ineffective against this creature. Thinking quickly, he unleashed his flame style, watching as the intense heat melted away the creature’s armor, revealing a vulnerable brain.

Recognizing it as the same type of brain he had encountered when he first met the robot, Rex placed his hand on it. Power surged through his body once more, causing his form to glow red and white. The sensation was all too familiar, reminiscent of the time he had taken down the first robot. Rex knew he had the power to destroy this creature, but before he could act, the floor beneath him shattered. A mechanical hand shot out, grabbing his leg and pulling him through the ground before hurling him against a wall.

Stunned but not defeated, Rex realized the robot had returned. He stood, sword in hand, ready for battle. The robot moved with blinding speed, but Rex managed to swing his blade just in time, severing its arm. He quickly created distance between them as the robot charged again. With one powerful swing of his sword, Rex decapitated the robot, watching as its body crumpled to the ground.

Breathing heavily, Rex crouched down and placed his hand on the robot’s remains. Once more, something flowed into him, a sensation both familiar and unsettling. A voice echoed in his mind, clear and cold: “Yeager ability attained: Blood Crawlers.”

Rexx staggered to his feet, his hand bracing against the wall for support. To his surprise, he found that his hand gripped the surface with ease, allowing him to scale the wall. Climbing out of the room where he had been violently pulled, he spotted another door and, without hesitation, made his way through it. On the other side, he found himself in yet another unfamiliar chamber.

He quickly noticed another door, but as he attempted to pass through it, it slammed shut, trapping him inside. Rex scanned the room, searching for an escape. His eyes landed on yet another door, and he hurried through it, only to be submerged in a pool of bloody water. The eerie sight sent a chill down his spine.

As he cautiously looked around, a monstrous creature suddenly materialized before him, its sharp claws gleaming in the dim light. It lunged at Rexx, who managed to dodge, but not before its claws sliced across his chest. To his relief, his wounds healed almost instantly, thanks to his regenerative abilities. Rex locked eyes with the beast, its gaze cold and predatory.

With a roar, Rex charged at the monster, but a tail—long and deadly—whipped out from nowhere, aiming for him. He narrowly avoided it and attempted to sever the creature’s head, only to realize that its neck was impossibly thick. The monster retaliated, forcing Rex to take a step back as it suddenly vanished, blending seamlessly into its surroundings.

Rex scanned the area, trying to spot the camouflaged beast. His eyes flicked to the bloody water, where he noticed a slight disturbance. He leapt into the air just as the creature struck the ground where he had been standing. Rexx unleashed a torrent of flames, but his attack missed its mark. The creature reappeared, and before he could react, he was impaled through the back by its tail. The monster loomed over him, jaws wide open, ready to devour him.

But Rex wasn’t done yet. Gathering his strength, he unleashed his flames directly into the creature’s gaping maw. The monster roared in agony as it burned from the inside, releasing Rexx, who jumped back as his body rapidly healed. Breathing heavily, Rexx noticed a statue in the distance and began to walk toward it.

The monster, still smoldering, turned its enraged gaze on Rex and charged. Timing his move perfectly, Rex jumped into the air, igniting his flames as he struck the creature’s head with full force. The impact caused the nearby statue to topple, crashing down on the monster and crushing it. The beast lay dead, its body finally still.

But as Rex approached, he noticed its tail beginning to glow. He cautiously picked up the tail and discovered an orb nestled within. Realization dawned on him—it was the same type of orb that had once given him his disintegration touch. The orb pulsed with energy, and as Rex held it, it fused with him, granting him a new ability.

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Skin ability attained: Mirage—grants invisibility.

Rex looked down at his body and saw it vanish before his eyes, his form now completely invisible.

But before he could fully comprehend his newfound power, he felt a sharp tug on his leg. He looked up, startled, to see a girl standing before him, her grip firm and her eyes were colorful of happiness.

Rex blinked, realizing he had been lost in a dream, replaying the events of his last mission. He was sitting by a window, staring out at the people outside, including his mother. It had been two weeks since Adam had fallen in battle against Killer. His thoughts were interrupted as he looked up to see a girl standing before him.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked, his tone sharp.

The girl smiled and gave him a playful salute. "Nice to meet you, Rex. It's a pleasure seeing you again. I'm Amber Ivanov. You know my parents, Daisy and Nicholas—they’re both members of the special forces, just like you."

Rex's eyes narrowed in recognition. "Daisy and Nicholas? They got married and even had a kid? So that guy actually managed to have a child," he mused aloud.

"Yup," Amber confirmed with a grin. "So, what do you want with me, Amber?" Rex asked, getting to the point.

Amber's expression softened as she spoke. "You looked lonely when I saw you staring out the window, so I came up here to say hi. I'm sorry about what happened to your father, but he fought with everything he had. That's what really matters, right?"

Rex's eyes widened in surprise. "Kid…" he began, but Amber cut him off.

"Kid? I'm the same age as you—fifteen!" she exclaimed, standing up to emphasize her point. Rex noticed she was short for her age.

"Sorry, Amber," Rex said, his tone softening slightly. "Listen, I don’t need a pep talk about how to deal with loss. And for the record, I’m not sad about my dad's death—I’m angry. That’s just the war we’re in."

Amber shook her head, undeterred. "Nah, you’re sad. I can see it in your face."

Rex clenched his fists, resisting the urge to lash out. *I'm about to kill this girl,* he thought, but before he could say anything, someone else came up the stairs.

"Amber, I told you not to bother him," a boy said, walking over.

"Hey, Leon!" Amber greeted him cheerfully. Turning to Rex, she added, "This is my brother, Leon. We’re twins, but he’s way smarter than I am. He works in the research department with the army."

"Nice to meet you, Leon," Rex said, sizing him up.

"Nice to meet you too, Rex," Leon replied.

Amber beamed with pride. "My brother's got potential, Rex. He’s not only smart but strong too. He knows how to use flux energy really well."

Leon rolled his eyes and lightly pushed Amber to the ground. "Don't mind her. She's an idiot," he said.

"It's okay," Rex said, brushing off the incident.

Leon turned to Rex with a suggestion. "How about we go for a walk? How does that sound?"

Rex shrugged. "I don't mind."

The two of them left the room, leaving Amber on the floor, realizing she had been effectively pushed out of the conversation. Rex and Leon walked through a garden, the air cool and refreshing.

"So, you work in the research department. What do you do there?" Rex asked.

"I work on Yeagers. I was the one who made the cybernetics, so I'm able to see everything you see," Leon said, his tone casual.

Rex stopped in his tracks, taken aback. "That's incredible. You made revolutionary tech."

Leon smiled faintly. "Thank you, but that's not what I’m talking about. It's about the mission you went on with your father."

Rex's demeanor shifted to one of seriousness. "What do you want to know?"

"I want to know how the Yeagers knew you were at the core’s center and why Yeager Rank One was there," Leon said, his gaze intense.

Rex shook his head. "I have no idea."

Leon sighed, then leaned in closer. "I'll tell you why—the Yeager force has been breached. And not only that, but it’s by one of the special forces members."

Rex’s eyes narrowed. "As I thought. But why are you telling me this? I could be the traitor."

Leon chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, no, you're not. I checked the footage from your cybernetics. The Yeagers were fully intent on killing you, and you showed no hesitation in fighting back. It's not you. It’s not my mother, my father, or Sally. That leaves Lluvia, Iris, Martha, and Barak."

Rex frowned, deep in thought. "I see, but Martha is my father's sister, so I don't believe it could be her," Rex said.

"Yeah, that’s what I thought too," Leon said, nodding in agreement. "But still, I just put her on the list for now. That leaves us with Iris and Barak."

Leon then handed Rex a small sticker. "I want you to go see Iris. I'll try to schedule an appointment with Barak. When you meet Iris, put this sticker on your hand and shake hers."

Rex took the sticker, studying it for a moment before looking back at Leon. "But what about you? You could be the traitor too."

Leon chuckled and shook his head. "No, it couldn’t be me. You see, I may be a researcher, but we in the research department have explosives implanted in the backs of our necks. If we even think about betraying the Baham, the explosive goes off instantly. You can look it up if you don’t believe me—it’s true."

Rex sighed, then nodded. "Okay, fine. Let’s do this."

Leon’s face broke into a smile. "Good. Let’s do this, partner."

They exchanged a firm handshake before parting ways. The next day, Rex prepared himself and went to confront Iris, his mind focused on the task ahead.