The Queen sat in the dimly lit dining area of the hotel, savoring a much-needed meal. As she glanced around, she realized that the room was empty, save for herself. A frown creased her brow. "Where did everyone go?" she muttered to herself. They were all supposed to meet here at the hotel, but her hunger had driven her to grab dinner first. In the quiet, she felt a pang of worry. What could have happened to her team?

Meanwhile, at the battlefield, the dust settled around the fallen form of Victor. Arata, victorious and resolute, sat down alongside Thronjaw, Uriel, Angela, and Lance. The battle had been grueling, and their bodies bore the marks of the struggle, but the relief of victory was palpable.

Lance, still catching his breath, turned to Arata. "You used to know me," he said, his voice filled with a mixture of hope and curiosity.

Arata looked at him, his eyes softening. "Jet," he murmured, a smile touching his lips. The name seemed to hang in the air, a reminder of their shared past. Lance's heart swelled with happiness at the recognition. Despite the years and the battles, Arata still remembered.

Uriel, ever the pragmatic one, broke the moment. "The Indian mission is finally over. Where to next?"

Arata sighed, leaning back as he took in the exhaustion and relief of his comrades. "I'll tell you tomorrow," he said, his voice calm and reassuring. "We need to heal first. But know this—we're getting near the end."

Lance and Uriel exchanged startled glances. "Near the end?" Uriel echoed, disbelief coloring his tone. "There are still four more places where we have to take down Hex's HQ."

Arata's smile was confident, almost serene. "Don't worry. I've got it covered."

Lance couldn't shake his curiosity. "You did something strange," he said, his brow furrowing. "You can control the elements well using the environment, but there was no lightning for you to use. How did you do it?"

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Arata shrugged, his expression thoughtful. "I don't know," he admitted. "Since I woke up, I've been feeling much stronger."

Angela's eyes widened with understanding. "It's a Chi Boost," she explained. "When someone experiences a near-death battle, their body's vein nodes unlock, and they get stronger depending on how powerful their opponent was. Arata fought someone far weaker than Williams, who he had a near-death battle with. That's why he was able to overpower Victor so easily."

Lance nodded, adding his own insight. "There's another reason Victor lost—his inexperience. He'd only known victory until Arata arrived. Arata, on the other hand, has experienced many defeats and came back stronger each time."

"Right now, Arata is incredibly strong," Angela pointed out. "Maybe even stronger than Williams."

Everyone nodded in agreement, a sense of awe filling the air. Arata's smile widened. "Let's head back to the hotel."

Back at the hotel, The Queen was tending to Cheese, Butter, Jennifer, Dan, and Safiya. Butter was licking their wounds, her healing abilities working to repair the damage, while The Queen used her own powers to aid in their recovery. Her frustration was palpable as she muttered to herself, "Where the hell are Uriel, Lance, and Arata?"

As if on cue, the trio, along with Thronjaw, walked into the room. Arata, ever the charmer, grinned. "Were you asking about us?"

The Queen's eyes blazed with irritation as she marched up to Arata and headbutted him square in the chin. "WHY ME?!" Arata yelped, stumbling back.

"BECAUSE I AM ANGRY!" The Queen retorted, her voice ringing with exasperation.

Once the situation calmed down, Arata gathered everyone together and recounted the events that had transpired. The Queen listened carefully, her mind working through the implications. "If that ring was really that powerful, we might need to train even harder. There could be ten more like it."

Dan, ever the curious one, asked, "So now our trip to India is completed. Where are we going next?"

Arata took a deep breath, his eyes serious. "It's not completed yet. We're meeting someone tomorrow for our final battle against Hex."

"Final battle?" Everyone echoed in confusion.

Arata nodded, his expression resolute. The room buzzed with questions and uncertainty, the promise of a final confrontation hanging in the air like a storm on the horizon.