Kai stood in silence, eyes closed, arms loose at his sides, feeling the energy around him.
Today was different.
The Omnitrix wasn't just a tool anymore.
It was listening.
Breathing.
And for the first time in what felt like forever, so was he.
The elder's voice cut through the wind like a whisper.
"Today you will face yourself."
"Not your enemies. Not your fears. You."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "That sounds weirdly mystical."
"That's because it is."
Lira stepped beside him, holding a smooth white stone carved with ancient runes.
"This stone will project a reflection," she explained. "Not a clone. Neither a shadow. A fragment of your own Urja—the pieces you suppress."
Kai took the stone carefully.
It was warm. Almost… alive.
He stepped into the stone circle once more, surrounded by trees, their leaves swaying in rhythm with the energy pulsing in the air.
The Omnitrix began to glow—brighter than ever before.
Beep.
Suddenly, green light arced from the device into the stone.
The stone cracked.
And from the light—
Another Kai stepped out.
Not angry, Not evil, But heavy and Burdened.
This Kai's shoulders slouched with exhaustion, eyes clouded with self-doubt.
He looked like someone pretending to be okay for too long.
Kai took a slow breath.
"So… you're the me I've been ignoring."
The reflection didn't speak. It simply moved.
They circled one another, like dancers before a spar.
Then—
It lunged.
Kai reacted quickly—dodging the strike, flipping backward, and landing on his feet.
But the reflection was faster than he expected. It fought like him—but without hesitation, without pause.
Every punch it threw had years of confusion behind it.
Every kick was an echo of choices not made.
"You're not stronger than me," Kai growled.
The reflection didn't answer.
It struck again.
Kai activated the Omnitrix mid-air, slamming the dial down.
He meant to pick XLR8.
What he got was… something else.
The transformation was unlike anything before.
Instead of fire, or speed, or stone—
There was light.
His body elongated slightly, growing into a crystalline form made of semi-transparent living quartz. Green energy flowed visibly through his veins like neon rivers. His hands shimmered with light when he moved, leaving a glowing trail in the air.
His eyes radiated calm.
The Omnitrix symbol burned on his chest like a floating emerald core.
He looked down.
His voice came out in a deep, musical echo:
"Woah… what is this?"
Lira, watching from the edge of the circle, whispered the word:
"Lumacite…"
"A being of resonance. A pure-energy lifeform that only manifests when the wearer aligns with harmony and clarity."
"You didn't unlock it. You earned it."
The reflection Kai—now distorted slightly by the energy in the air—rushed again.
But Lumacite didn't dodge.
He stood perfectly still.
And then—shifted.
The light warped around him, and he reappeared behind the shadow with a blink of motion.
He tapped its shoulder gently.
The shadow turned—surprised—and was met with a burst of green-white resonance energy that shattered the air like glass.
It staggered.
Kai didn't press the attack.
He didn't need to.
"You're part of me," Lumacite said calmly.
"But you don't control me."
"You're the voice that told me I was just a delivery boy. Just a wanderer. Just someone pretending to be strong."
"But I've walked through storms, fought monsters, and stood beside gods."
"And now—I'm done running."
He placed his hand gently against the shadow's chest.
"Rest."
The reflection dissolved in light.
Back in human form, Kai stood at the center of the circle, breath steady, eyes clear.
The elder approached, nodding solemnly.
"You have passed the test of self."
Lira smiled and offered him a canteen of glowing fruit water.
"You unlocked an alien never before seen."
"Not because you fought for it—but because you understood it."
Kai looked down at the Omnitrix.
The symbol glowed a gentle, warm green.
"Guess I'm leveling up."
The elder chuckled.
"And soon, the universe will call on that strength."
Kai raised an eyebrow.
"Wait, are you saying I'm finally going back?"
The elder didn't answer.