The chamber shook.
Kai stared at the other version of himself.
Same face.
Same voice.
But those black eyes were completely different.
Lumi pulled Kai backward.
"Don't let him touch you."
The other Kai smiled.
"You always were protective of him."
Lumi's expression hardened.
"You're not him."
The figure tilted his head.
"Neither is he."
Kai stepped forward.
"Then what am I?"
The figure laughed quietly.
"That's the question, isn't it?"
Golden symbols appeared around them.
«[SOUL CONFLICT DETECTED.]»
«[PRIMARY HOST: KAI.]»
«[SECONDARY CONSCIOUSNESS: ORIGINAL.]»
«[RESOLUTION REQUIRED.]»
Kai stared at the system.
"How do I get rid of him?"
The system flickered.
«[UNKNOWN.]»
"Of course."
The other Kai walked toward him.
Lumi stepped between them.
"Stay back."
The figure looked at her.
"Lumi."
She froze.
"You remember."
"I remember enough."
The figure smiled.
"Then you know what happens next."
Lumi's eyes glowed red.
"No."
The figure raised his hand.
A wave of black energy threw Lumi across the chamber.
"Lumi!"
Kai ran toward her.
She hit the ground and struggled to stand.
"I'm okay."
Kai turned.
The other Kai was already behind him.
A hand reached toward his shoulder.
Kai reacted instinctively.
He ducked.
The hand missed.
Kai punched.
The impact sent the other version several meters backward.
Kai stared at his own fist.
"I did that?"
The system appeared.
«[ABILITY UNLOCKED.]»
«[NEXUS REACTION — Rank F.]»
Kai blinked.
"That's new."
The other Kai stood.
His smile disappeared.
"You shouldn't have that yet."
Kai's confidence grew slightly.
"Looks like I do."
The figure suddenly vanished.
Kai looked around.
Nothing.
Then—
A voice behind him.
"Neither should I."
Kai turned.
Too late.
The other Kai grabbed his wrist.
Pain exploded through his body.
Images flooded his mind.
A laboratory.
A young Kai.
His brother standing beside him.
Lumi in a glass chamber.
Machines surrounding them.
Kai screamed.
"No!"
His brother was speaking.
"If we activate the Nexus, it'll consume him."
Another voice answered.
"Then don't activate it."
His brother shook his head.
"We don't have a choice."
The memory changed.
The laboratory was burning.
People were running.
Alarms screamed.
Young Kai stood in the center of the room.
His eyes were glowing.
His brother grabbed him.
"Run!"
Then—
Darkness.
Kai ripped his hand away.
He fell to his knees.
The other version stared down at him.
"You remember."
Kai breathed heavily.
"Not everything."
"Enough."
Kai looked up.
"You were there."
The figure nodded.
"I was always there."
"Inside me?"
"Part of you."
Kai slowly stood.
"Then why are you trying to take over?"
The other Kai's expression changed.
"Because I was never supposed to be trapped."
Kai frowned.
"What?"
"Your brother split us."
Kai froze.
"He separated your consciousness from mine."
The other Kai pointed at him.
"You got the body."
Then himself.
"I got the memories."
Kai stared.
"Why?"
"Because your brother believed one of us had to survive."
Kai's voice became quieter.
"Which one?"
The figure smiled sadly.
"Apparently, he chose you."
Silence.
Kai looked at Lumi.
She looked away.
"You knew."
Lumi nodded.
Kai's jaw tightened.
"Everyone knew except me."
The chamber shook again.
A deep rumble echoed from above.
The other Kai looked upward.
"He's here."
Kai knew who he meant.
"My brother."
The figure nodded.
"And he's not alone."
The ceiling suddenly exploded.
Debris fell from above.
Superman crashed through the opening.
He landed between Kai and the other consciousness.
"Get away from him."
The other Kai stared at Superman.
"You don't understand."
Superman raised his fists.
"I don't need to."
Tony flew through the opening.
Thor followed in a burst of lightning.
Tony looked around.
"Why are there two Kays?"
Kai sighed.
"Long story."
Tony's helmet scanned both.
"That's not good."
Thor looked at the second Kai.
"Which is the true one?"
Neither answered.
Then the chamber went silent.
Footsteps echoed.
Slow.
Heavy.
Everyone turned.
A man walked out of the darkness.
Black coat.
Dark hair.
Red eyes.
Kai recognized him immediately.
His brother.
The stranger who had been hiding the truth.
The man stopped.
His eyes moved between the two Kays.
Then he smiled.
"Finally."
Kai stared at him.
"You."
His brother looked at him.
"Hello, Kai."
Kai clenched his fists.
"You killed me."
His brother's expression fell.
"No."
"You destroyed my world."
"No."
"You erased my memories."
"Yes."
Kai froze.
His brother continued.
"But I didn't kill you."
Kai stared.
"Then who did?"
His brother looked toward the second Kai.
"Ask him."
Kai slowly turned.
The other Kai smiled.
"Now you're asking the right questions."
His brother's voice became cold.
"I didn't erase your memories to punish you."
"Then why?"
"To hide you."
"From what?"
His brother looked at Superman.
Then Thor.
Then Tony.
Then Lumi.
Finally, Kai.
"From the people who created you."
Kai's stomach tightened.
"Who?"
His brother didn't answer.
The entire chamber suddenly went dark.
A voice echoed from the walls.
"We did."
Everyone froze.
Golden symbols appeared across the chamber.
Tony's scanners went crazy.
Thor raised Mjolnir.
Superman looked around.
Kai whispered:
"Who said that?"
The answer came from everywhere.
"Your creators."
The black-eyed Kai smiled.
His brother immediately shouted:
"RUN!"
The chamber doors slammed shut.
Kai looked at him.
"Why?"
His brother's eyes filled with fear.
"Because they're not coming for the Nexus."
A massive golden eye opened above them.
His brother whispered:
"They're coming for you."
Kai looked up.
The eye focused directly on him.
Then the system appeared.
«[CREATOR SIGNAL DETECTED.]»
«[IDENTITY: UNKNOWN.]»
«[WARNING.]»
«[THEY HAVE FOUND THE ORIGINAL ANCHOR.]»
Kai stared at the message.
For the first time, even his brother looked helpless.
Then the voice spoke again.
"Welcome home, Kai."
And every light in the Nexus went out