Amelia and Shadow walked side by side, they descended a gentle hill, the soft glow of twilight casting elongated shadows on the ground. The air was thick with tension, broken only by their footsteps and the faint hum of unseen energy around them.

“Where are we? Am I still in Rex’s palace?” Shadow asked, his voice low but sharp, his guarded gaze scanning the unfamiliar surroundings.

“Yes, you are,” Amelia replied, her tone calm yet tinged with hesitation. She avoided his piercing gaze, focusing on the path ahead. “I asked him to create this space for me… because I needed to talk to you.”

Shadow’s crimson eyes narrowed, suspicion flashing in their depths. “Talk?” he echoed, his tone laced with distrust. “You don’t drag someone into a twisted memory lane just to talk.”

Amelia hesitated before answering, her voice softer. “Maybe not, but you’ve given me no other choice.”

They continued down the path, shimmering images materializing around them like reflections in broken glass—fragments of a time long past. Ghostly figures of their younger selves sparred with vigor, locked in intense training sessions.

“Do you remember those days?” Amelia gestured toward a memory of them in the courtyard. The younger Shadow lunged forward with precision, sickle in hand, while Amelia countered with graceful, calculated movements. “Back when we were still candidates? Before all of this.”

Shadow’s lips curled into a faint smirk, though bitterness shadowed his expression. “You mean back when you destroyed everyone in the rankings without even trying,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Amelia chuckled lightly, though sadness lingered in the sound. “Maybe. But back then, it felt like we were equals. We trained together, fought together…” She glanced at him, her voice softer. “I thought we understood each other.”

He scoffed, his smirk fading. “Equals? You never saw me as your equal. No one did.”

Her steps faltered, but she recovered quickly, continuing down the path. They passed more memories—shared victories, quiet meals, and rare moments of laughter. Each flickered like an old film, vibrant yet hauntingly out of reach.

Amelia paused at one memory: Shadow extending a hand to help her up after a grueling duel. “See?” she said, her voice almost playful. “You weren’t always like this. There was a time when you cared.”

Shadow clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. “That person doesn’t exist anymore,” he said coldly. “And I don’t need a history lesson to remind me of what I’ve lost.”

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Amelia turned to face him fully, her gaze unwavering. “You’re wrong,” she said firmly. “That person is still in you. Buried under all the anger and hatred, but he’s there. I see him.”

Shadow stopped abruptly, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. “Just shut up already. What are you trying to get at?”

“I wanted to show you who you truly are,” Amelia replied, her voice steady despite his outburst. “Not this version of you consumed by vengeance.”

Shadow laughed sharply, the sound devoid of humor. “Your words mean nothing to me,” he sneered. “Don’t get me wrong, Amelia. Somewhere, deep down, I think I still care about you. A little. But it doesn’t matter. I’ve made my choice. I’ll kill humans without hesitation.”

Her heart ached at his words, but she refused to waver. “That’s not who you are,” she said. “You’ve forgotten yourself, Shadow. And I won’t let you stay lost.”

His shoulders tensed as he turned away, his voice quieter but no less sharp. “Save your pity. It’s too late for me.”

Amelia’s voice was resolute as she stepped closer. “It’s not too late.”

Shadow’s glare darkened. “I said be quiet.”

Amelia sighed, her expression hardening. “Fine. Rex, do it.”

The scenery shifted in an instant, the soft glow of twilight replaced by the cold, stark interior of Rex’s palace. Shadow barely had time to react before Rex appeared, his massive sword swinging toward Shadow’s neck.

Shadow’s sickle met Rex’s blade in a resounding clash, sparks flying as their weapons locked. Shadow’s thoughts raced. “The light… I can’t use my abilities in this light.”

Rex’s voice was calm yet deadly. “I just have to take your head to end this.”

Their movements blurred as the battle intensified, Shadow’s strikes precise but ultimately reactive against Rex’s unrelenting offense. Then Rex’s eyes gleamed with purpose, and with a single thought, he extinguished the light.

Darkness enveloped the room. Shadow smirked, his confidence returning. “Finally. Yeager ability: Shadow Revenge.”

But before he could act, Rex appeared behind him in an instant, his blade slicing clean through Shadow’s neck.

Shadow’s head hit the ground, his body collapsing as it began to fade into nothingness. His disembodied voice lingered, filled with disbelief. “You… you copied my ability. You used the shadows to teleport…”

“That’s right,” Rex said, his tone devoid of triumph.

Amelia stepped forward, her voice trembling with urgency. “Rex, let me take control for a moment.”

Rex’s eyes shifted to a vivid magenta as Amelia’s presence took over. She knelt beside Shadow’s fading head, her voice breaking. “Shadow, please. Let me save you. It doesn’t have to end like this.”

Shadow’s remaining eye twitched, his voice laced with defiance. “Don’t insult me. I accept my fate. Just remember… I’m a true Yeager!”

With that, his head dissolved into the air, leaving only silence in its wake.

The palace vanished, replaced by the quiet courtyard of the Locke family estate. Rex stood amidst the carnage, the once-powerful family massacred, their wealth and influence now his by right.

He activated his comms, his voice steady but weary. “Leon, it’s done. Pick me up.”

“Understood,” Leon replied. “Another chopper’s en route. You’ll need to wait a moment.”

“Understood,” Rex said, closing his eyes as he leaned against the remains of the estate. He exhaled deeply, reflecting on the bloodshed. Despite his victory, his expression was unreadable—a man weighed down by the ghosts of his choices.

The Locke family was no more, their legacy erased. And as Rex waited, the quiet hum of the approaching chopper grew louder, marking the end of yet another chapter in his relentless path.